Home < Rules < Local-rules < US District Court Local Rules

1. Prohibition. Except authorized personnel in the discharge of their official governmental duties, all persons are prohibited from photographing, recording (audio or video), broadcasting, transmitting, or televising within the Warren B. Rudman U.S. Courthouse (including the garage, basement, and ramp area, as well as other areas designated on specific occasions by the United States Marshal when necessary for security reasons).

   Except authorized personnel in the discharge of their official governmental duties, all persons are prohibited from possessing within the Rudman courthouse any form of equipment or means of photographing, recording (audio or video), broadcasting, transmitting, or televising.

2. Persons Visiting Agencies in the James C. Cleveland Federal Building. All persons seeking to visit offices of agencies other than court agencies which have permanent offices located within the Cleveland building for the purpose of photographing or recording within those offices shall be escorted from and to the lobby area of the building by a representative of that agency. The head of that agency shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by the agency and visitors to that agency with the requirements of this rule.
3. Exceptions.
   1. The court may permit the photographing, recording (audio or video), broadcasting, transmitting, or televising of naturalization, investiture, swearing-in, or similar ceremonies or special proceedings.
   2. Members of the bar of this court and their agents may possess cell phones, dictating equipment, computers, pagers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and similar electronic devices, for the limited purpose of facilitating their participation in mediation sessions and providing legal representation. However, such devices shall not be brought into or possessed in any courtroom or judge's chambers without specific advance authorization by a judge.
      
      In no event shall any such device be employed by counsel or anyone else in any manner designed to photograph, record (audio or video), broadcast, transmit, or televise any proceeding, scene, discussion, or event within the Rudman courthouse. It is the intent of this rule to preserve the prohibitions set out in subsection (a), while allowing some reasonable flexibility to members of the bar (who are subject to professional sanction) to effectively perform their professional obligations.
      
      Pro se litigants and others may be extended similar privileges upon application to the clerk of court and showing of good cause for or particular need for an exception.

(§ (a) amended, prior § (b), Exception, relettered to § (c) and amended, and § (b) added 1/1/00; § (c)(2) amended 1/1/04)

Return