US · rules
D.R.I. LR Gen 112
Use of Electronic Devices
(a) Photographing, Recording, and Broadcasting. Except to the extent expressly
authorized by the Court in accordance with the exceptions outlined below, no person shall
photograph, record, broadcast, or otherwise transmit any proceeding, event, or activity
held in the Courthouse or portion of the John O. Pastore Building occupied by the Court.
(1) Exceptions.
(A) Ceremonial Proceedings: The Court may permit the photographing,
recording, or broadcasting of ceremonial proceedings upon such terms and
conditions as the Court may specify.
(B) Court Proceedings: The Court may permit the Clerk to make available a
narrowcast.*[See Note, end of Rule] transmission of civil proceedings held by
videoconference pursuant to LR Cv 78 and courtroom proceedings in civil and
select criminal cases. The narrowcast transmission of these proceedings is not
considered prohibited broadcasting under Fed. R. Crim. P. 53 and the policies of
the Judicial Conference of the United States and the resolutions of First Circuit
Judicial Council.
All viewers of the narrowcast of civil proceedings held by videoconference
pursuant to LR Cv 78 and courtroom proceedings in civil and criminal cases may
only view the proceedings and are prohibited from photographing, recording,
broadcasting, or otherwise transmitting the narrowcast of these proceedings.
(b) Electronic Devices. Electronic devices, including but not limited to cellular or smart
phones, laptops, and tablets, may be brought into and used within the Courthouse or
portion of the John O. Pastore Building occupied by the Court only by those individuals
authorized pursuant to this subsection.
(1) Use of Electronic Devices by Attorneys. Unless the Court otherwise orders,
attorneys may use electronic devices in the Courthouse and portion of the John O.
Pastore Building occupied by the Court, including courtrooms and chambers,
upon the following conditions:
(A) Use of electronic devices shall not be disruptive of Court proceedings;
(B) Use of electronic devices does not conflict with (a) or any other provision
of the Local Rules, Court order, or statute;
(C) Unauthorized use of electronic devices may result in the user being
required to relinquish the device to the custody of the United States Marshal until
released by a judicial officer and/or imposition of sanctions.
(2) Use of Electronic Devices by Media. Unless the Court otherwise orders,
members of the media who have been authorized to bring and use electronic
devices in the Courthouse and portion of the John O. Pastore Building occupied
by the Court, may use those devices under the conditions set forth in (a) and
(b)(1). The Clerk will maintain a list of individuals authorized pursuant to this
subsection.
Note: For this rule, “narrowcast” is defined as the live transmission, through technical means
controlled by the Court, of ongoing court proceedings to a selected audience. See, In re Sony
BMG Music et al, 564 F.3d 1, 2 n.1 (1st Cir. 2009).
Effective 4/1/24: §§(a) and (b) amended. Effective 12/1/19: §(a) deleted; §§(b)-(c) amended and redesignated as
(a)-(b); Effective 12/1/17: §(a) comment deleted; §(c)(2) amended. Effective 12/1/16: §(a) amended; new §(b)
added; §(b) amended and redesignated as (c); comment amended. Effective 12/1/15: §(a) comment added; §(b)
amended. Effective 12/2/13: §(b) amended; §§(b)(1)(A) and (B) added; §§(b)(2) and (3) deleted; and §(b)(4)
amended and redesignated as (b)(2). Effective 3/17/08: §§(b) and (b)(1) amended; §§(b)(2) & (b)(3) added; and
§(b)(2) redesignated as (b)(4).
Provenance
- Source
- www.rid.uscourts.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-09-18
- Edition
- fed-district-2026-09-19
- Content hash
3584637cd1db8281aa69b8af5fab7fc379aa072fa55f79306f78b4e91853724f
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