Local Rule L.R. 79-4: Contraband and Valuable, Sensitive, and Dangerous Exhibits

L.R. 79-4 Contraband and Valuable, Sensitive, and Dangerous Exhibits. No contraband or valuable, sensitive, or dangerous exhibits (including but not limited to narcotics, firearms, ammunition, explosives, pornographic materials, poisonous or dangerous chemicals, intoxicating liquors, jewelry, money or articles of high monetary value, counterfeit money, fine art, and items of historical significance) may be brought into Court without prior permission from the Court. A party seeking to use the actual physical item of any such contraband or valuable, sensitive, or dangerous exhibit at any hearing or trial must first request permission from the Court for the actual item to be admitted or displayed, by submitting photographs of the item to the Court and explaining why photographs are not sufficient. The Court's permission must be obtained prior to bringing the actual physical item of any such contraband or valuable, sensitive, or dangerous exhibit into the courtroom. If the Court's permission is not obtained in advance, only photographs will be allowed.

If the Court does order that certain contraband or valuable, sensitive, or dangerous exhibits be displayed or admitted in their original form at a trial or hearing, no such exhibits will be retained by the Court even during the pendency of the trial or hearing unless specifically authorized by the Court. Such exhibits must remain at all times in the custody of either counsel for the submitting party or the case agent for any relevant law-enforcement agency. They must maintain custody of all contraband and all valuable, sensitive, and dangerous exhibits until the earliest of expiration of the time for appeal when no appeal is taken, entry of stipulation waiving or abandoning the right to appeal, final disposition of the appeal, or Court order allowing destruction of the exhibits.