Rules of the Court

(A) Court Security. All persons entering the Court or lobby area must pass through the security gate checkpoint and are subject to screening by a metal detector. Under no circumstances are weapons or potential weapons allowed in the Court building, which includes the entire building occupied by the Court and all waiting areas and courtrooms. All persons shall follow the directions of the Lakewood Municipal Court Security or the Lakewood Police Department Personnel in the event of an emergency or security incident.

(B) Court Decorum. All persons at the Court shall conduct themselves with decorum and in a manner not to interfere with the proper administration of the Court’s business. Argument shall be directed to the Court and not to opposing counsel or parties. Although the Court is open to the public, persons attending any Court session who are not parties or called as witnesses may not make any statements unless permitted by the Court and identified on the record. Upon the entering of the Judge or Magistrate for any Court session, all persons in the courtroom shall stand except for those physically unable to do so.

(C) Appearance and Dress. All persons appearing before the Court shall, to the extent practicable, appear in appropriate and clean dress. The following are not appropriate: excessively revealing attire, bare feet, cutoffs, tank tops, crop tops, and visible undergarments. All hats should be removed before entering the courtroom.

(D) Cell Phones and Electronic Devices. All cell phones are to be turned off or silenced in the courtroom and the use of cell phones is not permitted in the courtroom when the Court is in session. In the event a person needs to make or take a call, the person is required to leave the courtroom unless otherwise permitted by the Court. Cell phone use, photography, or taking of video are not permitted at the Traffic Violations Bureau or the Civil Division windows. Tablets, laptop computers, notebooks, cell phones, and other electronic devices may not be used in the courtroom except as a research aid or tool during a hearing or trial.

(E) Food and Beverages. No smoking, eating, drinking, or chewing gum is permitted in the courtroom. No one is permitted to bring food or drink into the courtroom unless permitted by the Court. Attorneys and litigants may have water at the trial table. Witnesses may be provided with water when necessary. Jurors may have water in the jury box during the trial. The Judge, Magistrate, and Court staff may have water in the courtroom as needed.

(F) Loitering. No person shall loiter or behave in an unseemly or disorderly manner in the courtroom or any hall, entryway, or stairway, or otherwise interfere with or obstruct judicial activities or proceedings.

(G) Timeliness. All persons, including counsel and parties, shall be present and before the Court at the assigned hearing time. If counsel or a party is unavoidably delayed, notice must be given to the Judge or Magistrate as early as possible. Counsel shall make all reasonable efforts to engage substitute counsel in the event of an unexpected absence.

(1) Witnesses and Evidence. Counsel and parties shall have all witnesses and evidence present at the scheduled hearing time unless the Court has specifically permitted an alternate schedule. Any delay in the appearance of a witness or change in the order of presentation shall be brought to the attention of opposing counsel and approved by the Court.

(H) Children. Children are not permitted in the courtroom, except for those who are witnesses, victims, subjects of the proceeding, or otherwise allowed by consent of the Court. Children permitted in the courtroom under this subsection must be accompanied by an adult who will be solely responsible for their behavior, safety, and care.

(I)  Contempt. Failure to comply with any aspect of this rule may result in appropriate sanction by the Court, including continuance or dismissal of the matter before the Court, confiscation of cell phones pending the conclusion of Court proceedings, or a charge of contempt of court.