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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 15-2099

THE COURTS

LEHIGH COUNTY

Establishing Uniform Rules Regarding Taking of Photographs, Video or Motion Pictures of Judicial Proceedings or in the Hearing Room, Courtroom or Its Environs; No. 2015-J-0064

[45 Pa.B. 6810]
[Saturday, November 28, 2015]

Administrative Order

 And Now, this 30th day of September, 2015,

 It Is Ordered:

 1.) No sound recording, photograph, video recording or motion picture may be made or taken of any judicial proceeding or in any hearing room or courtroom, or in the area immediately surrounding the entrances or exits of such rooms, without the prior permission of the presiding judge, the presiding hearing officer or the designee of the presiding judge or the presiding hearing officer.

 2.)  All electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, laptops, and cameras, shall be powered off (not simply muted) in all hearing rooms, courtrooms and in the area immediately surrounding the entrances and exits of such rooms unless permission to activate such device has been first obtained from the presiding judge, the presiding hearing officer or the designee of the presiding judge or the presiding hearing officer.

 3.) No photograph, video recording or motion picture of any witness, juror or police officer connected to a pending judicial proceeding may be taken or made in the courthouse or in any building housing a courtroom or hearing room, whether or not the court is actually in session, without the prior permission of the presiding judge, the presiding hearing officer or the designee of the presiding judge or the presiding hearing officer.

 4.) The transmission of any conversation or testimony taken by any electronic means during any judicial proceeding without the prior permission of the presiding judge, the presiding hearing officer or the designee of the presiding judge or the presiding hearing officer is strictly prohibited.

 5.) Violation of this Order may constitute contempt of court and result in the confiscation of such device, the deletion of any offending data or material on such device, the imposition of a fine of up to $1,000.00 and/or imprisonment of up to six (6) months.

 6.) The presiding judge; the presiding hearing officer; the Court Administrator; the designee of the presiding judge, the presiding hearing officer or the Court Administrator, including the courtroom staff of the presiding judge or the presiding hearing officer; and the Sheriff of Lehigh County or his deputy, are authorized to enforce this Order, including taking immediate possession of any offending device.

 7.) Any device confiscated pursuant to this Order that is not claimed by its lawful owner within seven (7) business days of such confiscation shall be deemed forfeited to the County of Lehigh.

 It Is Further Ordered that one (1) certified copy of this Order shall be filed by the Court Administrator of Lehigh County with the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts; that two (2) certified copies and a CD-ROM copy that complies with the requirement of Pa. Code § 13.11(b) shall be filed with the Legislative Reference Bureau for publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin; and that one (1) certified copy shall be filed with the Criminal, Civil, Domestic Relations, Juvenile Court and Orphans' Court Rules Committees, which Committees have certified to this court that this Administrative Order is not inconsistent with any general rule of the Supreme Court. Finally, it is ordered that the Court Administrator of Lehigh County publish a copy of this Order on the Unified Judicial System's web site at http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/localrules/ruleselection.aspx.

By the Court

EDWARD D. REIBMAN, 
President Judge

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 15-2099. Filed for public inspection November 25, 2015, 9:00 a.m.]


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