Public Access Requests

Zoom may not be used for public access without the approval of the judicial officer.

Authorization of a request to view court proceedings remotely by way of Zoom is at the discretion of each individual judicial officer. The Court has a legal obligation to allow public access to view non-confidential court proceedings. All non-confidential court proceedings have been open to the public and fully accessible to the participants and the public since March 14, 2022. The Court originally implemented an audio only public access line option, as well as Zoom, as emergency and temporary measures to provide the public with remote access to non-confidential proceedings during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person access to court facilities and proceedings was restricted due to social distancing and other public health measures.

Now that Court proceedings may take place in person, without restriction, the audio only public access line, as well as the use of Zoom for public access, are no longer required. Having the public attend proceedings in person as opposed to remotely helps to (1) ensure that witnesses feel free to testify uninhibited and without interruption; (2) maintain the security of court proceedings against unauthorized recordings and leaks; and (3) ensure the dignity and decorum of the courtroom setting.

If, despite the fully accessible nature of the courthouses, a member of the public has a need to access proceedings remotely by way of Zoom, the individual may submit a request for authorization to the judicial officer’s department directly. The contact information for each department is available on the Court’s website under General Information.

There are different requirements for members of the media requesting to photograph, record or broadcast court proceedings. Please see the Media Requests page on the Court’s website for further information.