New guidelines that take effect Friday, Aug. 1, 2008, regarding the use
and possession of electronic devices in Connecticut’s state court facilities
will allow members of the public to bring their camera phones in to court --
although they are still prohibited from taking pictures inside a court
facility.
Chief Court Administrator Barbara M. Quinn approved the guidelines in
response to a vote of the state’s Superior Court judges at their annual
meeting last month that cleared the way for the change.
“Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers and I believe the new rules will help the
public greatly, particularly since finding a cell phone without a camera
these days is extremely difficult,” Judge Quinn said. “As important, we hope
that allowing people to bring in their camera phones will shorten the lines
at the metal detector.”
Previously, judicial marshals had to bag and tag camera phones brought
into the courthouses. “This was very time-consuming,” Judge Quinn added,
“especially when you consider that the marshals bagged and tagged 290,000
camera phones last year.”
Under the new guidelines, a person may have any of the following
electronic devices inside a state court facility:
- A cell phone;
- A camera cell 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.
The guidelines prohibit a person from using a cell phone or any other
electronic device to take pictures, take videos, make sound recordings,
broadcast sound, or broadcast still or moving images inside a court
facility. However, with a judge’s permission, an individual may use a
personal computer for note-taking in a courtroom. In addition, other
electronic devices may be used in a courtroom if permitted by the judge or
other judicial authority or permitted by court rules.
Requests from the media to broadcast, televise, record or photograph
court proceedings and trials will continue to be governed by the Connecticut
Practice Book, not these guidelines.
Violating the new guidelines could result in the electronic device being
confiscated, so people who wish to bring one in to court are urged to
familiarize themselves with what is allowed and what is not. The guidelines
are available through the Judicial Branch website at
https://www.jud.ct.gov/ElectronicDevices_superior.pdf
(rev. 01/05/09).
For further information , please contact the External Affairs Division at
860-757-2270.
