Cellphones and personal electronic devices will be allowed in Delaware courthouses starting Wednesday, but must be off in courtrooms. Photo by Tracy Le Blanc
As of Wednesday, the Delaware Judiciary will allow cellphones and personal electronic devices in courthouses, under some restrictions that include the devices be turned off while in a courtroom.
The change in policy has been two years in the making as various courts tried out the policy to see how it worked.
The permanent policy shall go into effect on Wednesday, Aug. 7.
Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz Jr. said the goal was to enhance access to justice for litigants and other visitors.
“Cell phones and PEDs are essential to everyday life and where the public often keeps important personal information,” Seitz said. “We can say that we have not seen a significant disruption or safety concerns.
“Instead, we have seen great benefits to the public, particularly those involved in Family Court and Justice of the Peace Court cases. I am pleased that we are now making this cell phone policy permanent.”
Justice in court
The shift in court policy follows a recognition that allowing personal electronic devices into court would help increase scheduling efficiency and improve access to justice, all while allowing individuals to keep in touch with family members, children and work, said a statement from the judiciary.
Under the newly adopted policy, the public will be allowed to use their devices to make phone calls or access the internet and other information on their phones in the halls, lobbies and other public areas of the courthouses so long as such use does not disrupt or disturb court business or proceedings.
With limited exceptions, visitors will not be allowed to take photos or record audio or video anywhere in the courthouses.
One exception is that visitors will be allowed to use their devices to photograph or scan public court documents in clerks’ offices, so long as the device does not damage or mark the document in any way or interrupt the operations of the clerks’ office.
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All visitors will be required to turn off or silence their devices when in a courtroom.
Further, if a judicial officer feels the presence of the devices is a threat to safety or security or otherwise interferes with the administration of justice, he or she may require all individuals in the courtroom to place their devices in a secure, locking pouch until they leave the courtroom.
Court security will oversee the use of the secure pouches and will have the ability to lock and unlock them as needed.
The order and the new policy on cell phones and PEDs can be found on the court website.
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