Art. 2127.2.Same; Preparation and Delivery of Transcript
Book III. Proceedings in Appellate Courts · Title I. Appellate Procedure · Chapter 2. Procedure For Appealing · Last amended 1997 · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 2127.2 requires the court reporter to deliver any necessary transcript to the trial court clerk at least five days before the return day, and lays out what happens when a reporter cannot meet that deadline: an extension request, a clerk's certificate flagging the missing transcript, and appellate-court orders to expedite delivery.
Full Text of Art. 2127.2
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A. Except as provided in Paragraph B of this Article, each court reporter assigned to prepare any transcript designated to be transcribed and necessary to complete the record shall deliver the transcript to the clerk of the trial court with the duty of preparing the record for appeal no later than five days before the return day.
B. Whenever the court reporter cannot deliver the transcript to the clerk of the trial court by the date required in Paragraph A, the reporter shall draft and file a request for an extension of the return day with the trial court or court of appeal as provided by law. Whenever a court reporter has not delivered a transcript by the fifth day prior to the return day, the clerk of the trial court shall file a certificate with the court of appeal advising that the record is ready for lodging except for the lack of delivery of the transcript. In such certificate the clerk shall include the names and addresses of each court reporter who has failed to deliver a transcript, the date estimated costs were paid, and whether any of the named court reporters have requested an extension of the return day.
C. Upon the request of the court of appeal when the transcript has not been delivered to the clerk of court but the record is otherwise ready for lodging, the record shall be lodged. The clerk of the trial court shall include with the record a certificate stating the names and addresses of each court reporter who is required to prepare and deliver a transcript of the case and a statement of the date on which estimated costs and, if relevant, additional costs were paid. Thereafter, the court of appeal may issue appropriate orders to any named court reporter to expedite preparation and delivery of any necessary transcripts.
Amendment History
Added by Acts 1984, No. 937, §1. Amended by Acts 1997, No. 409, §1.
Plain-English Summary
The clerk cannot finish and lodge the record on time without the transcript, so Article 2127.2 gives the clerk a buffer before the return day itself: each court reporter assigned to prepare a necessary transcript must deliver it to the clerk no later than five days beforehand.
When a reporter cannot meet that deadline, the reporter has to draft and file a request for an extension of the return day with the trial court or the court of appeal. If the reporter still has not delivered the transcript by the fifth day before the return day, the clerk files a certificate with the court of appeal explaining that the record is otherwise ready except for the outstanding transcript, naming the reporter or reporters involved and their addresses, stating the date estimated costs were paid, and noting whether any of them has requested an extension.
At the court of appeal's request, when the transcript is still missing but the rest of the record is ready, the record can be lodged anyway, accompanied by that same certificate information. From there, the court of appeal can issue orders directly to the reporter to push delivery along, so the appeal keeps moving instead of stalling entirely on one outstanding transcript.
Frequently Asked Questions
When must a court reporter deliver the transcript to the clerk?
No later than five days before the return day, except where the reporter cannot meet that deadline and follows the extension procedure in Article 2127.2.
What happens if the reporter cannot meet the five-day deadline?
The reporter must file a request for an extension of the return day, and if the transcript still has not arrived five days before the return day, the clerk files a certificate with the court of appeal describing the delay.
What information goes into the clerk's certificate about a missing transcript?
The names and addresses of each court reporter who has not delivered a transcript, the date estimated costs were paid, and whether any of those reporters has requested an extension of the return day.
Can the record be lodged without a finished transcript?
Yes, at the court of appeal's request, when the record is otherwise ready; the court of appeal can then order the reporter to expedite delivery of the outstanding transcript.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
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