Rule 1:19 CAMERAS IN THE COURTS

MASSACHUSETTS
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

Rule 1:19 CAMERAS IN THE COURTS

A judge shall permit broadcasting, televising, electronic recording, or taking photographs of proceedings open to the public in the courtroom by the news media for news gathering purposes and dissemination of information to the public, subject, however, to the following limitations:

(a) A judge may limit or temporarily suspend such news media coverage, if it appears that such coverage will create a substantial likelihood of harm to any person or other serious harmful consequence.

(b) A judge should not permit broadcasting, televising, electronic recording, or taking photographs of hearings of motions to suppress or to dismiss or of probable cause or voir dire hearings.

(c) During the conduct of a jury trial, a judge should not permit recording or close-up photographing or televising of bench conferences, conferences between counsel, or conferences between counsel and client. Frontal and close-up photography of the jury panel should not usually be permitted.

(d) A judge should require that all equipment is of a type and positioned and operated in a manner which does not detract from the dignity and decorum of the proceeding. Only one stationary, mechanically silent, video or motion picture camera, and, in addition, one silent still camera should be permitted in the courtroom at one time. The equipment and its operator usually should be in place and remain so as long as the court is in session, and movement should be kept to a minimum, particularly, in jury trials.

(e) A judge should require reasonable advance notice from the news media of their request to be present to broadcast, to televise, to record electronically, or to take photographs at a particular session. In the absence of such notice, the judge may refuse to admit them.

(f) A judge may permit, when authorized by rules of court, the use of electronic or photographic means for the presentation of evidence, for the perpetuation of a record, for other purposes of judicial administration, or for the preparation of materials for educational purposes.

(g) A judge should not make an exclusive arrangement with any person or organization for news media coverage of proceedings in the courtroom.

(h) Any party seeking to prevent any of the coverage which is the subject of this Rule may move the court for an appropriate order, but shall first deliver written or electronic notice of the motion to the Bureau Chief or Newspaper Editor or Broadcast Editor of the Associated Press, Boston, as seasonably as the matter permits. The judge shall not hear the motion unless the movant has certified compliance with this paragraph; but compliance shall relieve the movant and the court of any need to postpone hearing the motion and acting on it, unless the judge, as a matter of discretion, continues the hearing.

(i) A judge entertaining a request from any news medium pursuant to paragraph (e) may defer acting on it until the medium making the request has seasonably notified the parties and the Bureau Chief or Newspaper Editor or Broadcast Editor of the Associated Press, Boston.

(j) A judge hearing any motion under this rule may reasonably limit the number of counsel arguing on behalf of the several interested media.

Adopted October 1, 1988, effective November 2, 1998. Amended December 15, 1999, effective January 3, 2000.