Local Rule LR Gen 112: USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

LR Gen 112 USE OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

(a) Photographing, Recording, and Broadcasting. Except to the extent expressly authorized by the Court in accordance with the exceptions outlined below, no person shall photograph, record, broadcast, or otherwise transmit any proceeding, event, or activity held in the Courthouse or portion of the John O. Pastore Building occupied by the Court.

(1) Exceptions.

(A) Ceremonial Proceedings: The Court may permit the photographing, recording, or broadcasting of ceremonial proceedings upon such terms and conditions as the Court may specify.

(B) Court Proceedings: The Court may permit the Clerk to make available a narrowcast.*[See Note, end of Rule] transmission of civil proceedings held by videoconference pursuant to LR Cv 78 and courtroom proceedings in civil and select criminal cases. The narrowcast transmission of these proceedings is not considered prohibited broadcasting under Fed. R. Crim. P. 53 and the policies of the Judicial Conference of the United States and the resolutions of First Circuit Judicial Council.

All viewers of the narrowcast of civil proceedings held by videoconference pursuant to LR Cv 78 and courtroom proceedings in civil and criminal cases may only view the proceedings and are prohibited from photographing, recording, broadcasting, or otherwise transmitting the narrowcast of these proceedings.

(b) Electronic Devices. Electronic devices, including but not limited to cellular or smart phones, laptops, and tablets, may be brought into and used within the Courthouse or portion of the John O. Pastore Building occupied by the Court only by those individuals authorized pursuant to this subsection.

(1) Use of Electronic Devices by Attorneys. Unless the Court otherwise orders, attorneys may use electronic devices in the Courthouse and portion of the John O. Pastore Building occupied by the Court, including courtrooms and chambers, upon the following conditions:

(A) Use of electronic devices shall not be disruptive of Court proceedings;

(B) Use of electronic devices does not conflict with (a) or any other provision of the Local Rules, Court order, or statute;

(C) Unauthorized use of electronic devices may result in the user being required to relinquish the device to the custody of the United States Marshal until released by a judicial officer and/or imposition of sanctions.

(2) Use of Electronic Devices by Media. Unless the Court otherwise orders, members of the media who have been authorized to bring and use electronic devices in the Courthouse and portion of the John O. Pastore Building occupied by the Court, may use those devices under the conditions set forth in (a) and (b)(1). The Clerk will maintain a list of individuals authorized pursuant to this subsection.

Note: For this rule, "narrowcast" is defined as the live transmission, through technical means controlled by the Court, of ongoing court proceedings to a selected audience. See, In re Sony BMG Music et al, 564 F.3d 1, 2 n.1 (1st Cir. 2009).

Effective 4/1/24: §§(a) and (b) amended. Effective 12/1/19: §(a) deleted; §§(b)-(c) amended and redesignated as (a)-(b); Effective 12/1/17: §(a) comment deleted; §(c)(2) amended. Effective 12/1/16: §(a) amended; new §(b) added; §(b) amended and redesignated as (c); comment amended. Effective 12/1/15: §(a) comment added; §(b) amended. Effective 12/2/13: §(b) amended; §§(b)(1)(A) and (B) added; §§(b)(2) and (3) deleted; and §(b)(4) amended and redesignated as (b)(2). Effective 3/17/08: §§(b) and (b)(1) amended; §§(b)(2) & (b)(3) added; and §(b)(2) redesignated as (b)(4).