Rule 26.1 Conferences during trial

During a trial, any private conversations between the judge and lawyers must be recorded. This applies whether those conversations happen at the side of the judge's bench or in the judge's private office.

The only exception is when the judge decides ahead of time that the conversation will only cover minor, non-substantive topics. If no real legal issues or evidence questions are involved, the judge can allow the conversation to go unrecorded.