===== PAGE 1 ===== Courts' Self-Help Center – Packets # HOW TO REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS This packet contains information, forms, and instructions on how to request transcripts for court proceedings related to courts of record in Adams County. ## DISCLAIMER Court staff is not able to give you legal advice or help you fill out/complete these forms. The information in this packet is not a substitute for professional legal advice. The Court assumes no responsibility and accepts no liability for actions taken by users of these documents, including reliance on their contents. If you want to obtain the services of an attorney but do not know whom to contact, please call the Adams County Court Administrator at 717-337-9846 or the Pennsylvania Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-692-7375. Packet Last Updated: May 1, 2026 ===== PAGE 2 ===== # HOW TO REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS In this Packet: Information and Instructions (consists of two pages) - Transcript Request Form (consists of two pages) ## INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS The Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration 4000 series outlines the process by which a party can request and obtain transcripts related to any proceeding from a court of record. Generally speaking, this would involve hearings at the Court of Common Pleas level. Some transcripts may be restricted due to the type of court hearing and based upon whether the requestor is a party to the proceeding (for example, transcripts for certain juvenile hearings may not be available to a requestor). Local practice related to obtaining transcripts is further defined in the Adams County Rules of Judicial Administration. All requests for transcripts require the completion of a Transcript Request Form. A requestor will need to file this with the appropriate filing office: For transcript requests related to criminal, delinquency, dependency or summary appeal matters at the Common Pleas level, the request will be filed at the Adams County Clerk of Courts Office ■ For transcript requests related to Orphans' Court matters, the request will be filed at the Adams County Clerk of the Orphans' Courts Office For transcript requests related to civil matters at the Common Pleas level, the request will be filed at the Adams County Office of the Prothonotary For transcript requests related to domestic relations matter, the request will be filed at the Adams County Domestic Relations Section You will not be required to pay a filing fee in order to file a Request for Transcript form. You must complete all four sections of page 1 of the Request for Transcript form and you must sign and date this form. Additionally, if you believe you will not be able to afford the costs related to obtaining transcripts (for example, a paper copy of a new transcript starts at $2.75 per page), you may seek consideration for reduced costs of transcripts at this time by filing for In Forma Pauperis (IFP) status. In order to ask for IFP status, you must complete and file a separate Application for In Forma Pauperis. This Self-Help packet is available at the Courts' Online Self-Help Center at https://www.adamscountypa.gov/courts/courtadministration/selfhelpcenter. After you have filed the request (and the In Forma Pauperis packet, if applicable), you must serve a copy of the request (and the In Forma Pauperis packet, if applicable) on the following: --The Judge that presided over the hearing you are seeking a transcript for; --The Court Reporter that was present for the hearing you are seeking a transcript for; --The District Court Administrator or designee; --Opposing counsel (or, if unrepresented, the opposing party). [See Pennsylvania Rules of Judicial Administration 4007(B)]. ===== PAGE 3 ===== HOW TO REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS (cont.) If you fail to serve those noted above, your request will not be processed. Please note that the filing office may make photocopies of these forms for you upon paying the filing office’s copy fee. As you may not know who the Judge and/or Court Reporter were that presided over the hearing you are seeking a transcript for at the time you are making your request, the Adams County Court will permit you to serve the copies for the Judge, Court Reporter and District Court Administrator on the District Court Administrator/designee, which can be done by bringing those copies in person or mailing those copies to the Court Administrator’s Office, Adams County Courthouse, 4th Floor, 117 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325. A Judge will review the Request for Transcript form and, if submitted, the IFP documentation. The Judge will then enter an Order of Court to indicate how to proceed. This Order of Court will be sent to you by the filing office. If the Order directs you to leave a deposit for a transcript that has not been previously created, or to make payment in full for a copy of a previously-created transcript, you will need to make arrangements with the appropriate filing office to pay the costs before any work begins to produce the transcript. However, if you were granted IFP status with no financial obligation, the Court Reporter will immediately begin to work towards completing the request. In those instances where the Court Reporter is creating a new transcript, you will be contacted by the Court Reporter to let you know what the final balance due will be. You will need to make arrangements with the appropriate filing office and pay the balance before receiving the transcript. Once you have paid the balance, the filing office will notify Court Administration. The Court Reporter will then send you the transcript. If you were awarded IFP status with no financial obligation, the Court Reporter will send you the transcript once it has been completed. In those instances where you are seeking copies of a previously-transcribed transcript, you will need to make payment as directed in the Court Order with the appropriate filing office. Once you have paid for the copies, the filing office will notify Court Administration. The Court Reporter will then send you the transcript. If you were awarded IFP status with no financial obligation, the Court Reporter will send you the copy. You have the right to appeal the Judge’s decision. An appeal can be complicated and may involve hiring an attorney. Court personnel and county employees are not permitted to help you fill out these papers or give you legal advice. ===== PAGE 4 ===== # Request for Transcript or Copy County Pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. 4007(A), this form must be completed by any person requesting a transcript for any court proceeding. Additional requirements may be found in the local rules of court for each judicial district. Local rules may be found by following the appropriate link at: http://www.pacourts.us/courts/courts-of-common-pleas/ If the cost of the transcript presents an economic hardship, there are reduced rates available to those who qualify. See Pa.R.J.A. 4007 (E). Copies of this request must be served in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. 4007(B). A deposit determined by local rule may be required. (Ver.: 4/2026)
I. Case Information
Case Caption:Docket Number:
Presiding Judge:Courtroom:
Date(s) of Proceeding:Is this transcript request associated with a matter already under appeal? ☐ Yes; Appellate Docket # ________ ☐ No
Court Reporter Name (if known):Children's Fast Track? Yes No
Case Type: (check the appropriate box): ☐ Criminal ☐ Civil ☐ Family ☐ Orphans' Court ☐ Juvenile
Type of Proceeding: ☐ Suppression ☐ Argument ☐ Trial ☐ Plea ☐ Sentence ☐ PCRA ☐ Other:
II. Requestor Information
Name of requestor/Attorney ID Number (if applicable):
Street Address:City:State:Zip:
Email:Phone:Fax:
I am: ☐ Self-Represented ☐ Not a party to this action ☐ Counsel for: ☐ Check if Court Appointed/Conflict Counsel Agency/Firm:
Does this request qualify for a reduced rate pursuant to Pa.R.J.A. 4007(E)? Yes No If Yes, please provide proof of authorization for a reduced rate or an affidavit required by Pa.R.J.A. 4008(B)(4) requesting waiver of all or a portion of the costs.
III. Transcript Items Requested
☐ Entire proceeding ☐ Jury Voir Dire ☐ Opening statements ☐ Closing arguments ☐ Jury Instructions ☐ Testimony (specify each witness):
Pre/Post trial hearing (specify):
☐ Other (specify):
IV. Transcript Delivery and Cost
For Original transcript requests*, please select from the following [NOTE: Expedited, Daily and Same Day Requests are only available where provided by the judicial district. Costs payable by requestor shall not exceed the rates prescribed in Pa.R.J.A. 4008(A)(1) and (D)(1)]:
Delivery Time:☐ Ordinary☐ Expedited☐ Daily☐ Same Day
Original transcript production cost per page2.50 per page3.50 per page4.50 per page6.50 per page
Copy for requestor? Yes No Add:0.50 per page0.75 per page1.00 per page1.25 per page
Manner of Delivery of Transcript: ☐ Electronic (PDF) format ☐ Hard copy (add 0.25 per page to copy rates)
Requesting Commonwealth/sub-division Governmental Agency Rate (if applicable): Yes No
Other (if offered, extra charges may apply): ☐ Complex Litigation ☐ Real Time Feed
Special requests (if offered): ☐ Minuscript/Condensed ☐ ASCII ☐ Word index ☐ Other:
Are you requesting a copy of an existing transcript? ☐ Yes (If yes, 0.75 per page for paper; 0.50 per page PDF) ☐ No
Requestor's Signature
*NOTE: The first requestor of a transcript is obligated to pay for the original transcript, which is filed with the court, plus the copy rate if the requestor desires a personal copy (subject to any cost sharing with additional parties).
Date ===== PAGE 5 ===== Docket Number: ___ Date of Request: ___ (Ver.: 4/2026) Case Caption: Date of Hearing: Name of Requestor: Address/Phone/Fax # of Requestor: Email of Requestor: Are the costs waived or reduced? ☐ Yes ☐ No Is the cost of the transcript being shared between parties? ☐ Yes ☐ No
Original; Ordinary, party$2.50 per pagex pages= $
Original; Ordinary, party; Requestor Copy of Original Transcript-Electronic$0.50 per pagex pages= $
Original; Ordinary, party; Requestor Copy of Original Transcript-Paper$0.75 per pagex pages= $
Original; Ordinary, Commonwealth/sub-division$1.55 per pagex pages= $
Original; Ordinary, Commonwealth/sub-division; Requestor Copy of Original Transcript-Electronic$0.50 per pagex pages= $
Original; Ordinary, Commonwealth/sub-division; Requestor Copy of Original Transcript-Paper$0.75 per pagex pages= $
☐ Expedited ☐ Daily ☐ Same Day$ per pagex pages= $
Original; Expedited/Daily/Same Day; Requestor Copy of Original Transcript-Electronic$ per pagex pages= $
Original; Expedited/Daily/Same Day; Requestor Copy of Original Transcript-Paper$ per pagex pages= $
Existing Transcript Copy-Electronic$0.50 per pagex pages= $
Existing Transcript Copy-Paper$0.75 per pagex pages= $
Additional Charges$x pages= $
NOTESEstimated Cost$
Less deposit- $
Balance due= $
Adjusted Cost (+/-)$
Final Balance= $
Transcript to be prepared by:Date assigned:Date due:
Date of deposit:Check/M.O. numberDate transcript completed:
Date balance received:Check/M.O. number:Date transcript sent to requesting part(ies):