First Judicial District

First District Order: Cameras and Electronic Recording Devices

According to Rule 4 of the MN Rules of General Practice for the District Courts:
Except as set forth in this rule, no pictures or voice recordings, except the recording made as the official court record, shall be taken in any courtroom, area of a courthouse where courtrooms are located, or other area designated by order of the chief judge made available in the office of the court administrator in the county, during a trial or hearing of any case or special proceeding incident to a trial or hearing, or in connection with any grand jury proceedings.

The Chief Judge of the First District has designated the following:
Pursuant to Minn. R. Gen. Prac. 4.01, except as provided below, no pictures, videos or voice recordings shall be taken in any courtroom, hearing room or grand jury proceeding or in any court facility including areas used for court administration or other areas used for court functions, except as made in the official court record.

• Licensed attorneys and licensed law enforcement or other persons authorized by the presiding judge may use cell phones, electronic tablets and lap top computers in courtrooms and administrative areas for the sole purpose of obtaining information or taking notes for current court related matters only. Such devices shall be on silent mode in the courtroom or administrative areas and in no circumstance be used to take pictures, voice recordings or videos or used in a manner that disrupts or interferes with court proceedings or the court record.
• All other persons who possess cell phones, electronic tablets or lap tops must power these devices OFF before entering the courtroom or grand jury room and shall not access or used in any manner unless given special permission by the presiding judge.
• Cellphones, electronic tablets and lap top computers may be used in common areas of the courthouse other than in courtrooms or court administrative offices provided that they are placed in silent mode and not used to record or take pictures, videos or voice recordings.
• Any person violating this policy may be subject to contempt of court and imposition of sanctions including seizure of a device used in a manner that violates this Order.
• A Judge may authorize use of devices as provided by Minn. Gen. R. Prac. 4.02 and 4.03.

A copy of this Order shall be posted in each First Judicial District Court location in a public area as determined by court administration and the facility manager.