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Connecticut Changes Guidelines for Electronics in Court

After some behind-the-scenes prodding by Connecticut paralegals, in particular, those in the Central Connecticut Paralegal Association, the courts in Connecticut have revised their guidelines for the use and possession of electronics in the courthouses.

Under the new guidelines, a person may have any of the following electronic devices inside a state court facility:

* A cell phone;
* A camera cell phone;
* A personal computer with or without video or audio recording capabilities;
* A digital or tape audio recorder;
* A personal digital assistant (PDA) with or without video or audio recording capabilities;
* Any other electronic device that can broadcast, record or take photographs.

The guidelines prohibit a person from using a cell phone or any other electronic device to take pictures, take videos, make sound recordings, broadcast sound, or broadcast still or moving images inside a court facility. However, with a judge?s permission, an individual may use a personal computer for note-taking in a courtroom. In addition, other electronic devices may be used in a courtroom if permitted by the judge or other judicial authority or permitted by court rules.

At the Connecticut Paralegal Day in June, members of the various Connecticut paralegal associations spoke with Richard Blumenthal, the Attorney General. He agreed to intervene on their behalf, and he did! The letter he sent is behind the cut, along with the attachments he included.

What a testament to the power of paralegal associations!

R. Blumenthal Letter to Judge Quinn re: Electronics in Courthouses - Get more Legal Forms

Full post as published by A Paralegal's Blog on August 07, 2008 (boomark / email).