Local Rule LR 83.3.8: Cameras and Electronic Equipment

LR 83.3.8 Cameras and Electronic Equipment Except as set forth herein or as authorized by the court, no one other than court officials engaged in the conduct of court business may bring any camera, transmitter, receiver, audio or video recording device, personal digital assistant, cellular telephone (including Palm Pilot, Blackberry, iPhone, or comparable electronic device), computer (including laptop, notebook desktop, or comparable computing device) or other type of electrical or electronic device into the premises.

Any member of the Bar of this court may, subject to security screening, bring personal digital assistants, cellular telephones or computers ("Authorized Electronic Devices") into the courthouse for that attorneys' own use and for presenting, managing, and accessing documents and files for the presentation of evidence during trials and proceedings. Any Authorized Electronic Devices with the capability to make or record images or sounds must be off whenever the device is in any courtroom or its environs, and the use of any such device to record, transmit or photograph court proceedings is prohibited. All sound emitting capabilities (including ringtone or vibration sound) of any Authorized Electronic Device must be off in any courtroom. Authorized Electronic Devices may not be used in a manner that disrupts or interferes with any judicial proceeding or violates Fed. R. Evid. 615 regarding exclusion of witnesses. Notwithstanding this provision, no Authorized Electronic Device may be brought into any courtroom or judicial chambers if the judge to whom the courtroom or chambers is assigned prohibits the introduction of such devices. Other than as set forth herein, no person may introduce or attempt to introduce any type of electronic device (including but not limited to, camera, recording equipment or other type of device) into the premises without court permission. [Amended February 1, 2011]