RULE 127. RECORDING AND TRANSCRIBING JUVENILE COURT PROCEEDINGS

A. Recording. There shall be a recording of all juvenile delinquency proceedings, 

including proceedings conducted by juvenile court hearing officers, except as 

provided in Rule 242(B)(2).

B. Transcribing. [Upon the motion of any party, upon its own motion, or as 

required by law, the court shall order the record to be transcribed.] The 

transcript shall be requested in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. No. 4007.

C. Correcting or Modifying. At any time before an appeal is taken, the [court 

may correct or modify the record] transcript may be corrected, and the 

record may be corrected or modified, in the same manner as is provided by

[Rule 1926 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure] Pa.R.A.P. 

1922(c) and Pa.R.A.P. 1926, respectively.

Comment

 Some form of record or transcript is necessary to permit meaningful 

consideration of claims of error and effective appellate review. See, e.g., Pa.R.A.P. 

1922, 1923, 1924; Commonwealth v. Fields, 387 A.2d 83 (Pa. 1978); Commonwealth v. 

Shields, 383 A.2d 844 (Pa. 1978). No substantive change in law is intended by this 

rule; rather it is intended to provide a mechanism to ensure appropriate recording and 

transcribing of court proceedings. Under Rule 800, 42 Pa.C.S. § 6336(c) was 

suspended only to the extent that proceedings are to be recorded, except as provided in 

Rule 242(B)(2). Full minutes are not recordings. This change was to effectuate 

effective appellate review.

 The rule is intended to apply to all juvenile delinquency proceedings and to 

ensure all proceedings are recorded, including proceedings before juvenile court 

hearing officers, with the exception of detention hearings.

 [Paragraph (B) of the rule is intended to authorize courts to require 

transcription of only such portions of the record, if any, as are needed to review 

claims of error.] Paragraph (B) is not intended to preclude the court from 

ordering a transcript in the absence of a request.

 Paragraph (C) provides a method for correcting [and modifying] transcripts and 

correcting or modifying the record before an appeal is taken by incorporating 

Pa.R.A.P. 1922(c) and Pa.R.A.P. 1926, which otherwise appl[ies]y only after an appeal 

has been taken. [It is intended that the same standards and procedures apply 

both before and after appeal.]
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Official Note: Rule 127 adopted April 1, 2005, effective October 1, 2005. Amended 

April 6, 2017, effective September 1, 2017. Amended August 3, 2020; effective

October 1, 2020.

Committee Explanatory Reports:

Final Report explaining the provisions of Rule 127 published with the Court’s 

Order at 35 Pa.B. 2214 (April 16, 2005). Final Report explaining the amendments to 

Rule 127 published with the Court’s Order at 50 Pa.B. __ (__ __, 2020).
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RULE 1127. RECORDING AND TRANSCRIBING JUVENILE COURT 

PROCEEDINGS

A. Recording. There shall be a recording of all dependency proceedings, including 

proceedings conducted by juvenile court hearing officers, except as provided in 

Rule 1242(B)(2).

B. Transcribing. [Upon the motion of any party, upon its own motion, or as 

required by law, the court shall order the record to be transcribed.] The 

transcript shall be requested in accordance with Pa.R.J.A. No. 4007.

C. Correcting or Modifying. At any time before an appeal is taken, the [court 

may correct or modify the record] transcript may be corrected, and the 

record may be corrected or modified, in the same manner as is provided by

[Rule 1926 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Appellate Procedure] Pa.R.A.P. 

1922(c) and Pa.R.A.P. 1926, respectively.

Comment

 Some form of record or transcript is necessary to permit meaningful 

consideration of claims of error and effective appellate review. In re J.H., 788 A.2d 

1006 (Pa. Super. 2001). See, e.g., Pa.R.A.P. 1922, 1923, 1924; Commonwealth v. 

Fields, 387 A.2d 83 (Pa. 1978); Commonwealth v. Shields, 383 A.2d 844 (Pa. 1978). 

This rule is intended to provide a mechanism to ensure appropriate recording and 

transcribing of court proceedings. Pursuant to Rule 1800, 42 Pa.C.S. § 6336(c) was 

suspended only to the extent that all proceedings are to be recorded, except as 

provided in Rule 1242(B)(2). Full minutes are not recordings. This change was to 

effectuate effective appellate review.

 The rule is intended to apply to all dependency proceedings and to ensure all 

proceedings are recorded, including proceedings before juvenile court hearing officers, 

except for shelter care hearings.

 [Paragraph (B) of the rule is intended to authorize courts to require 

transcription of only such portions of the record, if any, as are needed to review 

claims of error.] Paragraph (B) is not intended to preclude the court from 

ordering a transcript in the absence of a request.

 Paragraph (C) provides a method for correcting [and modifying] transcripts and 

correcting or modifying the record before an appeal is taken by incorporating 

Pa.R.A.P. 1922(c) and Pa.R.A.P. 1926, which otherwise appl[ies]y only after an appeal 

has been taken. [It is intended that the same standards and procedures apply 

both before and after appeal.]
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Official Note: Rule 1127 adopted August 21, 2006, effective February 1, 2007. 

Amended April 6, 2017, effective September 1, 2017. Amended August 3, 2020; 

effective October 1, 2020.

Committee Explanatory Reports:

 Final Report explaining the provisions of Rule 1127 published with the Court’s 

Order at 36 Pa.B. 5599 (September 2, 2006). Final Report explaining the amendments 

to Rule 1127 published with the Court’s Order at 47 Pa.B. 2313 (April 22, 2017). Final 

Report explaining the amendments to Rule 1127 published with the Court’s Order 

at 50 Pa.B. __ (__ __, 2020).