(a) General Conduct.
No person may loiter, sleep, or act in an abusive or disorderly manner.
(b) Entering and Leaving Building, Courtroom, or Corridor.
Persons must enter or leave the building, courtroom, or building corridor
only through doorways designated by court security officers. Persons may
be required to show court security officers a valid photo ID to enter the
courthouse.
(c) Weapons and Destructive Devices.
No person, except federal, state, county, and city law enforcement officers
and federal probation and pretrial services officers authorized to carry
weapons in performing their duties, may possess or cause to be brought
into a courthouse any weapon, destructive device, or related component.
The marshal may prohibit or otherwise regulate firearm possession by other
law enforcement officers and federal probation and pretrial services officers
within a courthouse. Except for law enforcement officers and federal
probation and pretrial services officers with specific, prior authorization from
the marshal to possess or carry a weapon in the courthouse, all persons,
including attorneys, are subject to (1) a search of their persons and
possessions for any weapon, destructive device, or related component, and
(2) a security officer's determination that persons do not possess any
weapon, destructive device or related component, as a condition to enter
the courthouse.
(d) Food and Tobacco.
Unless the presiding judge authorizes otherwise, no person may eat food
Effective December 1, 2025 Nebraska General Rules
or use tobacco in a courtroom.
(e) Electronic Devices.
The following provisions govern the use and admission of electronic devices
into the courthouse. Electronic devices covered by these provisions include,
but are not limited to: cellular phones; smartphones (iPhones, Android
devices, and other mobile phones that perform many of the functions of a
computer); tablets; laptop computers; devices that wirelessly connect to and
pair with computers and smartphones to transmit data (including smart
watches, earpieces, headphones, fitness trackers, and smart glasses);
audio recorders; still cameras; and video cameras.
(1) Admission of Electronic Devices.
Only federal employees with agency identification, attorneys with bar
cards, and jurors with summonses may bring an electronic device
into the courthouse. Other visitors must leave their electronic devices
outside the courthouse or with the court security officers at the
security screening station, unless allowed by a judge assigned to the
case.
(2) Cameras and Other Image/Video Electronic Devices.
(A) Use Prohibited.
No person may photograph, record, videorecord, televise, or
cause to be photographed, videorecorded, televised, or send
images or sounds of any person or thing in a courtroom, jury
room, building corridor on the floor on which a courtroom or
jury room is located, or judge's chambers. The term "televise"
includes Internet broadcasting.
(B) Placement Prohibited.
No person may place or cause to be placed any electronic
device at any location from which it is capable of
photographing, video recording, or televising any person or
thing in a courtroom, jury room, building corridor on the floor
on which a courtroom or jury room is located, or judge's
chambers. Court security officers may prohibit related
equipment from being brought into the courthouse.
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(3) Sound Recording and Broadcasting Electronic Devices.
(A) Use Prohibited.
No person may record or broadcast or cause to be recorded
or broadcast any sounds of proceedings or take any recording
or broadcasting equipment into a courtroom, a jury room, or a
judge's chambers. The term "broadcast" includes Internet
broadcasting.
(B) Placement Prohibited.
No person may place or cause to be placed any electronic
device at any location from which the device could record or
broadcast sounds of proceedings in a courtroom, jury room,
or judge's chambers. Court security officers may prohibit
related equipment from being brought into the courthouse.
(C) Exemptions.
This subparagraph (3) does not apply when:
(i) the presiding judge authorizes electronic means to
present evidence or perpetuate a record;
(ii) the presiding judge authorizes courtroom audio to be
transmitted to the judge's chambers; or
(iii) the presiding judge of a ceremonial proceeding
approves the use of specifically identified electronic
devices for the sound recording or broadcasting of the
proceeding.
(4) Electronic Devices in Courtroom.
(A) No Audible Signals in Courtroom.
Electronic devices must be turned off or silenced before
entering a courtroom.
(B) Use Prohibited.
No person may use an electronic device in a courtroom during
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a judicial proceeding without the presiding judge's permission.
(f) Spectator and News Media Seating.
On days of judicial proceedings, a security officer may reserve for members
of the news media and spectators designated areas in the courtrooms for
seating, and all persons must abide by the designation. The term "news
media" includes sketch artists. Sketch artists may attend judicial
proceedings unless the presiding judge restricts their attendance. Seating
not designated for the media is available to spectators on a first-come, first-
served basis. When all regular spectator seats except those reserved for
the news media are filled, only seated persons may remain as spectators.
No seats are reserved for spectators or members of the media leaving the
courtroom after having been admitted. Only court personnel, attorneys of
record, and other persons specifically authorized by the court may be in the
well of the courtroom. A pass system may be instituted by which some
spectator seats in the courtroom may be equitably allocated to persons
receiving passes from the court and the parties. If a pass system is
instituted, those spectator seats not covered by passes from the court or
the parties are available to spectators on a first-come, first-served basis.
(g) Enforcement.
The marshal and other United States security personnel authorized by law
or deputized must enforce Nebraska General Rule 1.6(a)-(g) and take
violators into custody and promptly bring a violator before a judge. The
marshal and other United States security personnel may also seize
equipment from violators.
(h) Exemption From or Interpretation of This Rule.
A person seeking an exemption from or interpretation of Nebraska General
Rule 1.6(a) (h) should present a request to the officer in charge of security,
who may present it to a judge.
(i) Attorney Courtroom Decorum.
(1) Addressing the Court.
Attorneys must stand when addressing or being addressed by the
court. When objecting, attorneys need not stand unless directed by
the court. In courtrooms in which digital recording is used to make
the record, attorneys must sit when addressing or being addressed
by the court so that microphones on the counsel tables can record
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their voices.
(2) Examination of Witnesses.
Unless necessary to approach a witness or an exhibit, attorneys
must examine witnesses from the counsel table or lectern. When
examining witnesses from a lectern, an attorney must stand close to
the lectern and with the lectern between the attorney and the witness.
When examining witnesses from the counsel table, attorneys must
sit or stand immediately next to the counsel table.
(3) Movement in the Courtroom.
Except to make an opening statement or closing argument, an
attorney must not approach opposing counsel, the bench, a witness,
the court reporter, courtroom deputy, the law clerk, or otherwise
move from the counsel table or lectern without the court's
permission. If an attorney must move often during a trial, upon
request the court may grant continuing leave to make specified
approaches.
(4) Colloquy Between Attorneys.
Attorneys may not audibly or inaudibly communicate with each other
without the court's permission.
(5) Leaving the Courtroom.
Attorneys, including cocounsel, must have the court's permission to
leave the courtroom. Cocounsel may have continuing permission to
leave the courtroom at any time, although no attorney should leave
during the testimony of a witness whom that attorney has examined.
(6) Referring to and Addressing Witnesses and Parties.
Witnesses and parties must be referred to and addressed by their
surnames, unless the court grants leave to do otherwise.
