2:5-3. Preparation and Filing of Transcript; Statement of Proceedings; Prescribed Transcript Request Form
(a) Request for Transcript; Prescribed Form. Except as otherwise provided by R. 2:5‑3(c), if a verbatim record was made of the proceedings before the court, agency or officer from which the appeal is taken, the appellant shall, no later than the time of the filing and service of the notice of appeal, serve a request for the preparation of an original and copy of the transcript, as appropriate, (1) upon the reporter who recorded the proceedings and upon the reporter supervisor for the county if the appeal is from a judgment of the Superior Court, or (2) upon the clerk of the court if the appeal is from a judgment of the Tax Court or a municipal court, or (3) upon the agency or officer if the appeal is from administrative action. The appellant may, at the same time, order from the reporter, court clerk, or agency the number of additional copies required by R. 2:6-12 to file and serve. If the appeal is from an administrative agency or officer which has had the verbatim record transcribed, such transcript shall be made available to the appellant on request for reproduction for filing and service. The request for transcript shall state the name of the judge or officer who heard the proceedings, the date or dates of the trial or hearing and shall be accompanied by a deposit as required by R. 2:5-3(d). The request for transcript shall be in a form prescribed by the Administrative Director of the Courts. A copy of the request for transcript shall be mailed to all other interested parties and to the clerk of the appellate court. The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply if the original and copy of the transcript have already been prepared and are on file with the court.
(b) Contents of Transcript; Omissions. Except if abbreviated pursuant to R. 2:5-3(c), the transcript shall include the entire proceedings in the court or agency from which the appeal is taken, including the reasons given by the trial judge in determining a motion for a new trial, unless a written statement of such reasons was filed by the judge. The transcript shall not, however, include opening and closing statements to the jury or voir dire examinations or legal arguments by counsel unless a question with respect thereto is raised on appeal, in which case the appellant shall specifically order the same in the request for transcript.
(c) Abbreviation of Transcript. The transcript may be abbreviated in all actions either:
(1) by consent, provided all parties to the appeal agree in writing that only a stated portion thereof will be needed by the appellate court, and in such cases, only those portions of the transcript specified in the writing shall be ordered in the request for transcript, or
(2) by order of the trial judge or agency which determined the matter on appellant's motion specifying the points on which the appellant will rely on the appeal. The motion shall be filed and served no later than the time of filing and service of the notice of appeal, and service of the request for transcript prescribed by paragraph (a) of this rule shall be made within 3 days after entry of the order determining the motion.
(d) Deposit for Transcript; Payment Completion. The appellant, if not the State or a political subdivision thereof, shall, at the time of making the request for the transcript, deposit with the reporter or the clerk of the court or agency from whom a transcript is ordered, either the estimated cost of the transcript as determined by the court reporter, clerk or agency, or the sum of $500.00 for each day or fraction thereof of trial or hearing. If the appellant is the State or a political subdivision thereof, it shall provide a voucher to the reporter or the clerk or the agency for billing for the cost of the transcript. The reporter, clerk or agency, as the case may be, shall upon completion of the transcript, bill or reimburse the appellant, as appropriate, for any sum due for the preparation of the transcript or overpayment made therefor. If the appellant is indigent and is entitled to have a transcript of the proceedings below furnished without charge for use on appeal, either the trial or the appellate court, on application, may order the transcript prepared at public expense. Unless the indigent defendant is represented by the Public Defender or that office is otherwise obligated by law to provide the transcript to an indigent, the court may order the transcript of the proceedings below furnished at the county's expense if the appeal involves prosecution for violation of a statute and at the municipality's expense if the appeal involves prosecution for violation of an ordinance.
(e) Preparation and Filing. The court reporter, clerk, or agency, as the case may be, shall promptly prepare or arrange for the preparation of the transcript in accordance with standards fixed by the Administrator Director of the Courts. The person preparing the transcript shall deliver the original to the appellant and shall deliver a copy together with a computer diskette or CD-ROM of the transcript to the court reporter supervisor in the case of an appeal from the Superior Court, to the clerk of the court in the case of an appeal from the Tax Court or a municipal court, or to the agency in the case of an administrative appeal. The diskette or CD-ROM shall be in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Word compatible or Adobe PDF format. The person preparing the transcript shall also forthwith notify all parties of such deliveries. When the last volume of the entire transcript has been delivered to the appellant, the court reporter supervisor, clerk or agency, as the case may be, shall certify its delivery on a form to be prescribed by the Administrative Director of the Courts. That transcript delivery certification and a complete set of the transcripts and diskettes/CD-ROMs shall be forwarded immediately to the clerk of the court to which the appeal is being taken. A copy of the certification shall also then be sent to the appellant. The appellant shall serve a copy of the certification on all other parties within seven days after receipt and, if the appeal is from a conviction on an indictable offense, on the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice, Appellate Section. The appellant shall file proof of such service with the clerk of the court to which the appeal has been taken.
(f) Statement of Proceedings in Lieu of Transcript. If no verbatim record was made of the proceedings before the court or agency from which the appeal is taken, the appellant shall, within 14 days of the filing of the notice of appeal, serve on the respondent a statement of the evidence and proceedings prepared from the best available sources, including the appellant's recollection. The respondent may, within 14 days after such service, serve upon the appellant any objections or proposed amendments thereto. The appellant shall thereupon forthwith file the statement and any objections or proposed amendments with the court or agency from which the appeal is taken for settlement and within 14 days after the filing of the same the court or agency shall settle the statement of the proceedings and file it with the clerk thereof, who shall promptly provide the parties with a copy. If a verbatim record made of the proceedings has been lost, destroyed or is otherwise unavailable, the court or agency from which the appeal was taken shall supervise the reconstruction of the record. The reconstruction may be in the form of a statement of proceedings in lieu of a transcript.
