(a) Courthouse Security.
(1) Screening and Search. All persons entering federal courthouse facilities in this
district and all items carried by them are subject to appropriate screening and search by
the United States marshal or any other designated law enforcement officer. Persons may
be requested to provide identification and to state the nature of their business in the
courthouse. Anyone refusing to cooperate with these security measures shall be denied
entrance to the courthouse.
(2) Firearms and Other Weapons. Law enforcement personnel not employed by
the United States marshal shall deposit any firearm or other weapon with a deputy marshal
or any other law enforcement officer designated by the marshal, directly upon entering
federal courthouse facilities, unless otherwise specifically authorized by the marshal.
No firearms or other weapons are permitted in any courtroom, except when carried
by t he United States marshal, deputy United States marshals or task force officers or court
security officers under contract with the United States marshals service, or when used as
exhibits. Upon entering the courthouse, the custodian of the firearm or other weapon exhibit
must submit it to the United States marshal for a determination that the firearm or other
weapon exhibit is inoperative.
In accordance with federal law, civilians, including attorneys practicing before the
court, are not permitted to bring any kind of firearm into the Federico Degetau Federal
Building, the Clemente Ruiz-Nazario United States Courthouse, or the José V. Toledo
United States Courthouse, or the Luis A. Ferré United States Courtroom in Ponce, Puerto
Rico.
(b) Photographing; Broadcasting; Televising; Recording.
(1) Photographic, Broadcasting and Recording Equipment. The taking of
photographs and the use of radio, television or other recording or broadcasting equipment
anywhere inside the courthouses or in any leased space occupied by the district court, the
bankruptcy court, the U.S. Probation Office or the United States Marshal, are strictly
prohibited. For the purpose of this rule, the area around the courtrooms shall include the
Judges’ chambers, halls, passageways and stairways on those floors of the building on which
court proceedings are conducted; elevators; the clerk’s office; the marshal’s office, and all
areas encompassed within the courthouse building which communicate with the entrances
to the courthouse.
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Photographing, recording (audio or video), broadcasting, transmission or
televising of court proceedings is not allowed. This disposition is extensive to all
attorneys and legal aides who may be using cellular telephones or any other electronic
device with built-in features allowing for the taking of photographs, audio or video
recording and scanning documents.
(2) Exceptions. A judge may authorize broadcasting, televising, recording or
taking photographs in the courtroom or adjacent areas, however, during naturalization
proceedings, admissions to the bar, or other ceremonial or special proceedings.
The use of electronic, photographic and recording equipment may be allowed in any
courtroom as a means for presentation of evidence or for the perpetuation of the record of
the proceedings in court, videoconferencing, electronic case filing and access, for security
purposes, for purposes of judicial administration, or in accordance with any pilot program
allowed by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
(c) Cellular Phones, Tablets, Tape or Digital Recorders, and Laptop Computers.
(1) Authorized Court Personnel. Only authorized court personnel may possess
cellular phones, tablets, laptops or ot h er mo bi l e d evi ces in court facilities. The
United States attorney and his or her assistants are authorized to possess cellular phones,
laptops and tablets in court facilities by virtue of their federal law enforcement status
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 115(c)(1), in the discharge of their official government duties, upon
a demonstrated need to the presiding judge. Those devices shall be switched to their “silent
mode” when brought into or possessed in any courtroom or judge’s chamber, however,
unless specific advance authorization to the contrary is given by a judge. Those devices
shall be switched to their “silent mode” when brought into or possessed in or during
mediation sessions unless specific advance authorization to the contrary is given by the
mediator in the proceedings.
(2) Members of the Bar. Any attorney permitted to practice law before the court
may bring cellular phones, personal electronic devices, tablets and laptop computers by
presenting a valid district dourt identification card or pro hac vice order.
(3) Other Persons. All other persons ar e p r o h i b i t e d f r o m br i n g i ng any
cellular phone, l a pt o p, laptop computer, or similar device, tape or digital recorder into
any federal courthouse or courtroom facilities.
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