are cell phones illegal to use in courtrooms in all 50 states?

Question

are cell phones illegal to use in missouri and illinois courtrooms?

Answer 1

illegal to USE? Probably. There's usually not a law regarding cell phones, it's usually an administrative directive created either by the court administrator, marshall, or the judges themselves. Thus, it varies from court to court. Some courthouses require you to turn them off before you enter a courtroom. Some courthouses don't even allow you to bring them into the building. (I worked in a federal courthouse in western missouri where that was the case... you had to take them back out to your car if you brought them in.)
I can't imagine one judge that would allow someone to come into the courtroom and use a cell phone. If you had an emergency (say, your parents were in the hospital or you wife was having a baby) and you explained it to the court and asked to keep the cell phone on vibrate, you might get some sort of exemption, but in general, if your cell phone rings in court, expect to be chewed out by the judge, ejected from the courtroom, or, in an extreme case, found in contempt and put in jail!

(I don't think DarkAngel is right... every court house I've been to... and I've been to quite a few ... requires that EVERYONE at least turn off their cell phones before entering. Some require that you not have cell phones.)
(Lil Southern Girl's answer is helpful, but not quite correct. Some federal courts, like the Western District of Missouri, ban cell phones altogether from the premises. However, that's not true with all federal courts across the country. I frequently attend court in federal court in a different state, and you are allowed to take cell phones into the building. You just have to confirm they're turned off. You might be able to search the web for the particular courthouse to see if they have a posted policy before you get there.)

Answer 2

I'm not in either of those states, but I do know that you cannot even bring a cell phone into the building at any Federal courthouse. As soon as you get to security, and they start going through your stuff, they will make you go put your cell phone in the car. I know an attorney in another city about 3 hours from me who got fined something like $150.00 just for bringing it in the building because she forgot it was in her pocket.

I'm a paralegal, and when I go to any courthouse - city, state, fed, whatever - I leave everything in the trunk of my car so I can speed through security. They will go through all purses and briefcases. I only bring in whatever documents I am going to file.

However, my boss an I (in MS) often talk via cell when he is in the courtroom waiting for his case to come up. I never call him, I text him if it's emergency, but he calls me sometimes while he's sitting in the back of the courtroom waiting. And this is only in the lower courts, of course, not Federal for the reasons set out above.

Answer 3

Don't use a cellphone in a courtroom.

It's important to recognize the power that a judge has in the courtroom. Basically, it's his own tiny 250 sf kingdom. If he says no cellphones, then by God, don't use one, or you'll end up in jail. If you have one on you, and it starts ringing during court, you should expect a bailiff to show you the door, and ask you not to return.

So, it's probably not illegal by state law, but I don't know of a judge anywhere that would allow someone to talk on a cell phone in their courtroom.

Answer 4

Regardless of any State law you must look into the rules and regulations for each courthouse building before bringing in your cell phone.

Some courthouses may allow cell phones be brought in but must be shut off or set to silent alert (vibrate). Others may require that you leave them in your car.
Some may even allow you to record audio and/or video during the proceedings of your own case.

In any case, it's a safe practice to google the local laws regarding cell phone usage in the jurisdiction in question prior to entry in order to prevent any hassles with the security officials which will undoubtedly be searching through your possessions as you enter the building.

NOTE: lil southern girl brings up a good point in that you should leave everything in your car that is not pertaining to your business within the building. This will invariably move you through the searching procedures quickly and with better efficiency.

Answer 5

That's probably only pertaining to the defendant and plaintiff. I don't think the rule applies to those attending the case.

Answer 6

no, exactly what law did the state or federal senate enact. y'all a bunch of idiots

Answer 7

I believe they are.