TheUseandPossessionofElectronicDevicesinSuperiorCourtFacilities
Thefollowingguidelinesaresubjectinallcasestoajudgeorotherjudicialauthorityissuingadditional
specificordersorguidelinesfortheuseofelectronicdevicesinhisorhercourtroomorhearingroom.In
addition,theJudicialBranchmayconfiscateordenytheadmittanceofanyelectronicdevicebasedon
safetyandsecurityconcerns.Safetyandsecurityconcernsthatmaywarrantsuchconfiscationordenial
include,butarenotlimitedto,previousviolation(s)ofthispolicyand/oradeterminationbytheJudicial
Branchthatanindividualintendstoviolatethispolicy.
Apersonmayhaveanyofthefollowingelectronicdevices:
Acellphone
Acameraphone
Apersonalcomputerwithorwithoutvideooraudiorecordingcapabilities
Adigitalortapeaudiorecorder
Apersonaldigitalassistant(PDA)withorwithoutvideooraudiorecordingcapabilities
Anyotherelectronicdevicethatcanbroadcast,record,ortakephotographs
Ahandheldorportablescannertoreproducecourtdocuments.“Handheldorportablescanner”
meansabatteryoperatedelectronicscanningdevicethatleavesnomarkorimpressiononthe
documentbeingscanned.
Aportableprintertoprintdocumentsconnectedtotheirdevice
Apersonmayuseacellphone:
Tomakephonecalls,sendandreceivee‐mailsand/orsendandreceivetextmessagesonly,but
notinacourtroom,hearingroom,lockup,chambers,oroffices.
Apersonmayuseahandheldorportablescanner:
Toreproducecourtdocumentsinaclerk’sofficeaslongasthehandheldorportablescanner
leavesnomarkorimpressiononthedocumentanddoesnotunreasonablyinterferewiththe
operationoftheclerk’soffice.
Apersonmayuseaportableprinter:
Toprintdocumentsfromtheirdevice,provideditisnotdoneinacourtroomorhearingroomso
asnottodisruptproceedingsorcauseanydistraction.
Apersonisprohibitedfromusingacellphone,oranyotherelectronicdeviceto:
takepictures,exceptthatapersonmayuseacellphoneorotherelectronicdeviceto
photographcourtrecordsinaclerk’sofficeaslongasdoingsodoesnotunreasonablyinterfere
withtheoperationoftheclerk’soffice.
takevideos
makesoundrecordings
broadcastsound
broadcaststillormovingimages(video)
Exceptionswiththepermissionofthejudgeorotherjudiciala
uthority:
Apersonmayuseapersonalcomputerfornote‐takinginacourtroomorhearingroom.
Apersonwhoisaparticipantinahearingortrialmayuseapersonalcomputerorother
electronicdeviceinacourtroomorhearingroom.
Otherelectronicdevicesmaybeusedinacourtroomorhearingroomifpermittedbythejudgeorother
judicialauthorityorpermittedbycourtrules.
Formembersofthemedia:
Membersofthemedia,asdefinedinSection1‐10AofthePracticeBook,maybroadcast,
televise,recordandphotographcourtproceedingsandtrialsifpermittedbycourtrulesand
approvedbythejudicialauthority.
Otherthanthebroadcasting,televising,recordingandphotographingofcourtproceedingsand
trials,membersofthemedia,asdefinedinSection1‐10AofthePracticeBook,mayrecordvideo
andtakephotographsinsideacourthouse,if:
o Thevideotapingorphotographingtakesplaceonlywithinnormalworkinghours;
o Thevideotapingorphotographingisnotdisruptive;
o Membersofthepublicarenotincludedinthevideosorphotographs,unlesswritten
permissionisobtained;and
o TherequestsareapprovedbytheChiefCourtAdministrator,inconsultationwiththe
appropriateAdministrativeJudge.
Allrequeststobroadcast,televise,recordandphotographshouldbesubmittedtotheExternalAffairs
Division.
Miscellaneous:
Apersonmayuseanelectronicdevicetomakeanaudioorvideorecordingortotakephotographsofa
publicmeetingthatissubjecttotheFreedomofInformationActandwhichistakingplaceinaSuperior
Courtfacilitysubjecttothefollowing:
Therecordingorphotographingisdoneasinconspicuouslyaspossible.
Therecordingorphotographingisdoneinasafe,non‐disruptivemanner.
ThegroupholdingapublicmeetingsubjecttotheFreedomofInformationActmay
decidebeforethemeetingreasonablerulescontrollingtherecordingorphotographing
ofthemeetingbasedontheneedfor:
o order,
o safety,and
o decorumofthepublicagencyandthoseattendingthemeeting.
Personsusingequipmentforrecordingorphotographingapublicmeetingmayusethe
equipmentonlyforthosepurposesandshallnotuseitforanyotherpurposesexceptas
permittedbytheseguidelines.
Thejudicialmarshalsshallmakesurethatequipmentisonlyus
edasallowedbytheseguidelinesand
anyruleadoptedbyagroupholdingameetingthatissubjecttotheFreedomofInformationAct.The
equipmentorelectronicdeviceusedinmakingarecordingorphotographmaybeconfiscatedifthe
equipmentisusedinawaythatviolatestheseguidelinesorifitisusedinawaythatviolatestherules
setbythegroupholdingthemeetingsubjecttotheFreedomofInformationAct,aslongasthereis
noticeofthoserulesbeforethemeeting.