Rule 4.105 - Standards for Courtroom Decorum These rules of Courtroom Decorum are intended to encourage attorneys to observe principles of civility and decorum, and to uphold the legal profession's rightful status as an honorable and respected profession where courtesy and civility are observed as a matter of course. Specific rules governing the conduct ofjury trials should be addressed with each particular District Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial District. The Court finds the following minimum standards will be followed by all attorneys and litigants appearing in the Fourth Judicial District:
1. Attorneys and parties should be on time for court appointments or court sessions, without prior permission of the Court. 2. The area inside the rails of the Courtroom is reserved for attorneys and litigants. Only counsel and parties may sit at counsel table, unless the Court permits otherwise. In appropriate circumstances, the Court may permit counsel to bring a paralegal or other assistant to counsel table.3. Stand (if physically able) as Court is opened, recessed or adjourned, when the jury enters or retires from the courtroom, when addressing or being addressed by the Court, and when examining a witness or juror. 4. Attorneys should address the Court as "Your Honor" or "May it please the Court" or, during trial, "The Court will remember the testimony" or similar appropriate language. 5. Avoid disparaging personal remarks or acrimony toward opposing counsel and remain wholly uninfluenced by all ill feeling between the respective clients. Attorneys should abstain from any allusion to personal peculiarities and idiosyncrasies of opposing counsel. 6. Attorneys normally should remain at counsel table or maintain substantial distance from the witness whom they are examining in order to maintain the voice level of both witness and attorney, to avoid intimidation of the witness and to avoid a tendency toward undue informality. With Court permission, it is proper to approach witnesses who are hard of hearing, when handling exhibits or while asking questions about exhibits. 7. Attorneys should avoid exhibiting familiarity with witnesses, jurors, or opposing counsel. Attorneys should only refer to opposing counsel, witnesses, except children, or jurors by their last names. Only with permission of Court, maya witness be addressed by their first name. Witnesses should always be treated with fairness and courtesy. 8. All objections and arguments should be made to the Court rather than to opposing counsel. Supporting arguments should never be made in front of the jury, but at sidebar. Bickering between attorneys during the course of a trial is impermissible. 9. Attorneys, parties and persons present in the courtroom should refrain from assuming an undignified posture. An attorney should not by facial expression, nodding, nor other conduct exhibit any opinion, adverse or favorable, concerning any testimony which is being given by a witness. The attorney should privately admonish his or her own clients and witnesses to avoid such conduct. 10. Children are under no circumstances to be present in the courtroom during a proceeding unless requested and approved by the Court in advance. Counsel should advise clients to make appropriate child care arrangements. 11. Attorneys should always be attired in a proper and dignified manner and should abstain from any apparel or ornament calculated to attract attention to themselves. A male attorney appearing in Court should be dressed with a coat and necktie. A female attorney should wear comparable conservative attire. Denim is unacceptable. 12. Parties, witnesses and spectators shall dress appropriately and respectfully for the courtroom. All hats shall be removed before entering the courtroom. Counsel is responsible for ensuring compliance with these rules by their client's party, representative, and witnesses. Counsel should contact the Court in advance if special accommodation is desired for a client, party representative, or witness. 13. There will be no drinking or eating in the courtroom at any time unless authorized in advance by the Court. No tobacco in any form will be permitted at any time. Tum all cell phones to silent mode. 14. No one shall wear or bear firearms or weapons of any description in the courtroom, except any court security or necessary guards of a prisoner, unless authorized by the Court.15. Attorneys should advise clients, witnesses, and others concerning rules of decorum to be observed in Court.16. Any person embraced within these rules who violates the provisions hereof may be subject to sanctions, contempt proceedings or other disciplinary actions imposed or initiated by the Court.