Phones are generally allowed inside the courthouse building, but they are almost always prohibited inside an active courtroom. That’s the short answer to whether phones are allowed in court, and it holds across most federal, state, and local courthouses. The rules tighten the deeper you go into the building, and a phone that rings, records, or lights up during a hearing can cost you a warning, a confiscation, or a contempt charge.
What’s Allowed in the Building vs. the Courtroom
When you enter a courthouse, you’ll pass through security screening similar to an airport checkpoint. Officers inspect phones, laptops, tablets, and smartwatches.1United States Courts. Portable Communication Devices in Courthouses In many courthouses you can carry a phone through security and keep it in common areas like hallways, lobbies, and cafeterias, as long as it stays silent. Some federal districts take a harder line and require visitors to surrender all devices at the entrance.2United States District Court Western District of New York. Cell Phone Policy
Inside an active courtroom, the rules tighten sharply. Most courts require devices to be completely powered off, not merely silenced, and stored out of sight. No calls, no texting, no email, no browsing.3United States District Court Western District of Louisiana. Possession and Use of Electronic Devices in the Courthouse Some courts go further and prohibit bringing any electronic device into the courtroom, regardless of whether it’s turned off.
Federal courts have a formal legal basis for the courtroom restrictions. Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53 prohibits photography and broadcasting during judicial proceedings in criminal cases.4Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 53 – Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited The Judicial Conference of the United States adopted a broader prohibition in 1972 covering both criminal and civil proceedings, and it remains largely in place.5United States Courts. History of Cameras, Broadcasting, and Remote Public Access in Courts
Photos and Recording Are Off-Limits Almost Everywhere
Photography and recording are banned throughout nearly every courthouse, not just inside the courtrooms. The prohibition covers hallways, waiting areas, and even the space outside elevators. It exists to protect witnesses, jurors, domestic violence victims, and others who could face retaliation if their presence at the courthouse were documented.3United States District Court Western District of Louisiana. Possession and Use of Electronic Devices in the Courthouse
Smartwatches, fitness trackers, wireless earbuds, and similar wearables fall under the same restrictions as phones. Federal court guidance specifically lists smart watches, earpieces, headphones, and fitness trackers alongside phones and tablets as covered devices.1United States Courts. Portable Communication Devices in Courthouses If a court requires phones to be off, the same rule applies to anything on your wrist that connects to the internet.
If the Courthouse Bans Phones Entirely
Your options are limited when a courthouse doesn’t allow phones inside at all. The U.S. Supreme Court provides lockers and a staffed checkroom on the first floor where visitors can store devices and personal belongings.6Supreme Court of the United States. Prohibited Items Some other federal and state courthouses have installed wall-mounted phone lockers near the entrance. Many offer nothing at all, which means leaving the phone locked in your car or with someone waiting outside.
If you’re taking public transit, check the court’s website in advance. Getting turned away at the security line with nowhere to put your phone is a bad way to start a court day.
Who Gets an Exception
Attorneys
Lawyers appearing in a case are usually allowed to bring laptops, tablets, and phones into the courtroom for case-related work such as pulling up documents, reviewing case law, or managing exhibits. The expectation is silent, non-disruptive use. This exception is standard across most federal districts, though some courts still require advance permission from the presiding judge.1United States Courts. Portable Communication Devices in Courthouses
Journalists
Credentialed reporters may receive limited device access, but it’s tightly controlled. The Judicial Conference prohibits broadcasting of federal district court proceedings, so video and audio recording are off the table. Some judges have allowed reporters to post to social media or send text messages from inside the courtroom, provided the activity remains unobtrusive. These permissions are granted case by case and can be revoked mid-hearing.1United States Courts. Portable Communication Devices in Courthouses
Self-Represented Litigants
If you’re representing yourself, don’t assume you get the same device privileges an attorney does. In most courts, self-represented parties are treated like any other member of the public when it comes to phone access. An attorney can pull up a key document on a tablet mid-hearing; a self-represented party who stored the same document only on a phone may not be able to reach it. If you’ll need something from your phone during the hearing, print it in advance, or ask the court clerk about requesting an exception from the judge.
Medical Devices
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires courts to make reasonable modifications to their policies to prevent discrimination based on disability. That matters for people who rely on electronic medical equipment such as insulin pumps, cochlear implant processors, continuous glucose monitors, or medical alert devices. Courts cannot simply refuse to accommodate these needs.
Contact the court clerk as far in advance as possible if you need an electronic device for medical reasons. Be specific about the device and why you need it. The presiding judge decides accommodation requests involving electronic devices in the courtroom, and if the request is denied and no workable alternative is offered, the court must provide a written explanation. Most courts handle these requests routinely, but the process goes more smoothly when you raise it before you’re standing at security.
Jurors Face the Strictest Rules
Jurors have less phone freedom than anyone else in the courthouse. Many federal judges require jurors to hand over their phones and other electronic devices at the start of each trial day. A court officer holds the devices and returns them when court adjourns. During deliberations the restriction is especially rigid, and any electronic notes a juror takes during deliberations are treated the same as handwritten notes and may be destroyed at the end of service.7Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit. Best Practices Recommendations Re Electronic Devices – Ensuring Security and Integrity of Jury Trials
Consequences for a juror caught using a phone during trial can be severe. In one federal survey, roughly 30 percent of judges who discovered juror social media use removed the juror entirely, and a smaller number declared mistrials that forced the trial to start over.8Federal Judicial Center. Jurors and Attorneys Use of Social Media During Voir Dire, Trials, and Deliberations Judges have also held offending jurors in contempt.
What Happens if You Break the Rules
The penalty for using a phone when you shouldn’t depends on the severity of the violation and the patience of the judge. A phone that rings during a hearing typically earns a warning from the bailiff. Keep using it and the officer may confiscate the device for the rest of the day or escort you out of the courtroom.
Recording or photographing proceedings without permission is more serious. A judge can hold you in contempt of court for defying the court’s authority. Under federal law, courts have broad discretion to punish contempt with fines, imprisonment, or both.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 401 – Power of Court The statute sets no specific cap, which gives judges significant latitude. Sentences for courtroom disruptions typically range from a fine to a few days in jail, though the upper bound is higher than most people expect.
The fine isn’t always the worst of it. If phone use disrupts a trial to the point that the judge declares a mistrial, you could face liability for the costs of restarting the proceedings. Courts have also ordered individuals to pay attorneys’ fees the other side incurred as a result of the disruption.
How to Find the Rules for Your Courthouse
There is no single national phone policy. Federal, state, county, and municipal courts each set their own rules, and they vary widely. Some federal districts allow visitors to carry phones everywhere except the courtroom. Others ban all electronic devices from the entire building. State courts run the same spectrum, and federal policies range from complete bans to allowing phones as long as they stay silent and out of sight during proceedings.1United States Courts. Portable Communication Devices in Courthouses
Check the court’s official website before your visit. Look for pages labeled “Visitor Information,” “Local Rules,” or “Electronic Device Policy.” Signs at the entrance will list prohibited items, but by then your only option may be walking your phone back to your car. Two minutes online the night before is usually enough to know what to expect.