A Journalist’s Guide to the Federal Courts is intended to assist reporters who cover appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts – the cases, the people, and the process. It also offers basic information for journalists writing about the federal court system as a whole. The guide does not discuss the Supreme Court of the United States.
Reporters must rely on the official case proceedings as their primary information source. Journalists have the same access to courthouses and court records as other members of the public. This access is governed by a mix of federal laws, federal judicial policy, and circuit or district courts’ local rules and practices. Court documents.
Some judges also will talk informally to journalists about non-case-related matters. If you are new to covering a federal court, it is appropriate to call a judge’s chambers and ask whether you can drop by to introduce yourself.
Federal judges and the journalists who cover them share an important goal: They want the public to receive accurate and understandable information about the federal courts and their work. The media perform an important and constitutionally protected role by informing and educating the public.
Journalists have the same access to courthouses and court records as other members of the public. This access is governed by a mix of federal laws, federal judicial policy, and circuit or district courts’ local rules and practices. Court documents. Most documents are filed electronically in appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts, and are availa
The use of cameras in federal courtrooms is governed by the Judicial Conference of the United States and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Find the full historyof Judiciary policy on cameras. In specific instances, such as investitures, naturalizations, or other ceremonial proceedings, a judge may permit the public and media to take photographs
Circuits and districts set local rules on whether the public and media may bring portable electronic communication devices (such as cell phones, laptops, and tablets) into their courthouses, and where and whether such devices may be used. For guidance on personal electronic devices, consult the local court’s rules or administrative/standing orders