COURTHOUSE ACCESS

(a)  Publicity. Courthouse supporting personnel, including, among others, clerks and deputies, law clerks, messengers, and court reporters, must not disclose to any person information relating to any pending criminal or civil proceeding that is not part of the public records of the Court without specific authorization of the Court, nor may any such personnel discuss the merits or personalities involved in any such proceeding with any members of the public. Deputies and employees of the United States Marshal’s Service coming into possession of confidential information obtained from the Court must not disclose such information unless necessary for official law enforcement purposes.

(b)  Confidentiality. All courthouse support personnel are specifically prohibited from divulging information concerning arguments and hearings held in chambers or otherwise outside the presence of the public.

(c)  Conduct of Proceedings in a Widely Publicized or Sensational Case.

(1)  In a widely publicized or sensational case likely to receive massive publicity, the Court, on its own motion, or on motion of either party, may issue a special order governing such matters as extrajudicial statements by lawyers, parties, witnesses, jurors, and Court officials likely to interfere with the rights of the accused to a fair trial by an impartial jury, the seating and conduct in the courtroom of spectators and news media representatives, the management and sequestration of jurors and witnesses, and any other matter which the Court may deem appropriate for inclusion in such an order.

(2)  Nothing in this rule or in any other criminal rule of this Court is intended to restrict the media’s right to full pretrial coverage of news pursuant to the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

(d)  Photographs, Broadcasts, Videotapes, and Tape Recordings Prohibited.

(1)  All forms, means, and manner of taking photographs, tape recordings, videotaping, broadcasting, or televising are prohibited in a United States courtroom or its environs during the course of, or in connection with, any judicial proceedings whether the Court is actually in session or not. This rule must not prohibit recordings by a court reporter or staff electronic recorder. No court reporter, staff electronic recorder, or any other person may use or permit to be used any part of any recording of a court proceeding on or in connection with any radio, videotape or television broadcast of any kind. The Court may permit photographs of exhibits or use of videotapes or tape recordings under the supervision of counsel.

(2)  A judge may, however, permit (A) the use of electronic or photographic means for the presentation of evidence or the perpetuation of a record, and (B) the broadcasting, televising, recording, or photographing of investiture, ceremonial, naturalization proceedings, or for other purposes.

(e)  Wireless Portable Devices. Because of the increased reliance on wireless devices, portable wireless communication devices such as cell phones, smart phones (including Androids, BlackBerrys and iPhones), PDAs and laptops (including iPads) such devices will be allowed in the courtroom so long as they do not either disrupt Court proceedings or pose a security threat. Cell phone calls cannot be either made from or answered in the courtroom. All such devices must be either turned off or set to the silent or vibrate mode. However, if a particular device is incompatible with existing technological architecture in a certain courtroom, (e.g. causes a microphone to buzz when an incoming call is received, despite being in the silent or vibrate mode), the owner will be asked to remove it from the courtroom or take some other action. Using any wireless device for surreptitious communication or unauthorized filming, photographing, recording or transmitting of either court proceedings, images of jurors, witnesses or undercover agents is strictly prohibited. The foregoing restrictions also apply to all jurors. Furthermore, jurors may not use cell phones during deliberations nor use wireless devices with internet access to research issues or access court files during the course of the trial.

(f)  For purposes of this rule, environs means:

(1)  In Boise, Idaho, the fifth and sixth floor of the Federal Building and United States Courthouse located at 550 West Fort Street, including the corridor area adjacent to the courtroom doors;

(2)  In Pocatello, Idaho, that portion of the first and second floors of the Federal Building and Courthouse at 804 East Sherman Street assigned for Court use, including the corridor area adjacent to the courtroom doors; and

(3)  In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the first and third floors of the Federal Building and Courthouse located at 6450 N. Mineral Dr. assigned for court use, including the corridor adjacent to the courtroom doors.

RELATED AUTHORITY

45 F.R.D. 391 (1969)
51 F.R.D. 135 (1971)
87 F.R.D. 519 (1980)