The rules of decorum in court govern how you dress, speak, move, and use devices while a proceeding is underway, and a judge can enforce them with a warning, removal from the room, or a contempt finding that in federal court carries up to $1,000 in fines or six months in jail.1Department of Justice. Criminal Resource Manual 728 – Criminal Contempt The specifics vary by courthouse and judge, but the baseline is consistent across federal and state courts.
What to Wear
Federal courts expect attire that is “restrained and appropriate to the dignity of a court of the United States.”2United States Court of Federal Claims. Courtroom Decorum In practice that means business or business-casual clothing for parties, attorneys, and spectators alike.
Most courts prohibit tank tops, shorts, flip-flops, and hats. Religious headwear and medically necessary items are generally exempted. Clothing with offensive graphics or revealing cuts will get you sent home or moved to the back of the calendar. If you show up dressed inappropriately as a party, the judge may postpone your hearing rather than let you proceed, which means another trip to the courthouse on another day.
Specific rules vary by courthouse, and many judges publish standing orders spelling out what they expect. When in doubt, go more formal. A collared shirt and closed-toe shoes will not get you turned away.
How to Speak
Courts run on a strict speaking hierarchy. You address the judge as “Your Honor,” or refer to the judge as “the Court” when speaking to a witness or jury. You speak only when the judge grants you the floor. If the judge starts talking while you are mid-sentence, you stop immediately. Part of that is respect, but it is also practical: the court reporter can only transcribe one voice at a time.3United States District Court Central District of California. Tips on Practice in Federal Court
When court is in session, no one should be heard except the judge or whoever is addressing the court.2United States Court of Federal Claims. Courtroom Decorum Profanity, personal attacks, and aggressive language are grounds for an immediate warning or removal. Keep your tone even. Judges handle emotionally charged situations every day, and the ones who run tight courtrooms have no tolerance for theatrics.
Standing, Movement, and Conduct
Everyone must stand when the judge enters and remain standing until invited to sit. The same applies when court adjourns: you stay on your feet and stay quiet until the judge leaves. Only attorneys admitted to the bar of that court may sit at counsel tables or inside the well, the area between the bench and the spectator gallery.2United States Court of Federal Claims. Courtroom Decorum
Eating, drinking, and chewing gum are prohibited. Repeated entrances and departures are discouraged because the movement distracts from proceedings. Hand gestures, visible reactions of disapproval, and any form of demonstration from the gallery are banned, particularly during jury trials, where even a head shake could influence the outcome.
Phones, Cameras, and Recording
Most courts require all electronic devices to be turned off before you enter the courtroom. Exceptions exist only for attorneys who get advance permission from the judge.2United States Court of Federal Claims. Courtroom Decorum Some courts allow phones on silent mode, but powering down is the safer move.
Audio recording, video recording, and photography of any kind are forbidden without explicit court authorization.4United States Courts. Portable Communication Devices in Courthouses That rule applies to spectators and journalists alike. Even reading material unrelated to the case is prohibited in some courtrooms while proceedings are underway.
Getting Through Security
Before you reach the courtroom, you pass through security. Every visitor to a federal courthouse must present valid government-issued identification and go through a metal detector.5United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. ADA Accommodations Firearms, knives, and other weapons are prohibited under federal law.6U.S. Marshals Service. What To Expect When Visiting a Courthouse The prohibited items list for federal facilities also covers stun guns, martial arts weapons, pepper spray, and bladed tools over two-and-a-half inches.7National Archives. Items Prohibited in Federal Facilities 2022 Edition Cameras and recording devices may be confiscated or barred at the entrance.
Most courthouses do not store prohibited items. If you bring something you cannot carry in, you have to leave the building entirely, usually to put it in your car. That can mean losing your place on the docket if you are a party with a scheduled hearing. Check your local courthouse’s website before you go.
If You Are a Juror
Jurors face the strictest decorum rules of anyone in the courtroom, and those rules extend well beyond the building. Federal model jury instructions prohibit jurors from communicating about the case with anyone, including family and friends, until deliberations begin, and even then only with fellow jurors.8United States Courts. Proposed Model Jury Instructions – The Use of Electronic Technology to Learn or Communicate about a Case
The restriction covers every communication channel: text, email, social media posts, blog comments, and in-person conversations. Facebook, Instagram, and X are specifically named. Jurors also cannot conduct any independent research. No Googling the defendant’s name, no looking up legal terms, no checking news coverage. If a juror accidentally sees information about the case while scrolling, the instructions say to ignore it and not click.8United States Courts. Proposed Model Jury Instructions – The Use of Electronic Technology to Learn or Communicate about a Case
Jurors must report accidental exposure immediately. Some judges question jurors at the start of each day to confirm compliance. A juror who violates these rules risks removal from the panel, and the breach can trigger a mistrial.
Remote Hearings
Courts generally hold remote proceedings to the same behavioral standards as in-person hearings. You dress the same way, speak the same way, and follow the same prohibitions on recording. Recording, photographing, broadcasting, or livestreaming a remote hearing without court permission is forbidden. Only the court or its designated personnel may record. If technical problems disrupt the feed, the judge may delay the hearing, reschedule it, or require everyone to appear in person.
A few practical points trip people up on video. Choose a quiet, private location with a neutral background. Mute yourself when you are not speaking. Do not eat, drive, or multitask on camera. Courts have removed parties from remote hearings for appearing from inappropriate locations or treating the proceeding casually. Being at home does not change the formality of what is happening.
If You Are Representing Yourself
If you appear pro se, you are held to the same decorum standards as a licensed attorney. Courts do not lower the bar on behavior because you do not have a law degree. You address the judge as “Your Honor,” speak only when permitted, and follow every rule about dress and devices.9Federal Judicial Center. Pro Se Case Management for Nonprisoner Civil Litigation
Where courts do extend some accommodation is in explaining the process. Federal guidelines direct judges to use plain English and avoid legalese with self-represented parties, and many courts publish pro se guides that cover courtroom expectations.9Federal Judicial Center. Pro Se Case Management for Nonprisoner Civil Litigation That is guidance, not leniency. If you disrupt proceedings, the judge has the same enforcement tools regardless of whether you have counsel.
One procedural trap catches self-represented parties more than anyone else. Once you tell the judge you have nothing further to add, that statement is typically treated as a waiver. The judge will not reopen the floor for you to add something you forgot unless a specific procedural right applies, like rebuttal. Think through everything you need to say before you stand up.
Disability Accommodations
Decorum rules do not override disability rights. Federal courts provide reasonable accommodations including wheelchair-accessible courtrooms and podiums, infrared hearing systems, sign language interpreters, and real-time transcription.5United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. ADA Accommodations Contact the clerk’s office in advance if you need accommodations, at least ten days before your hearing for services like sign language interpretation.
Security screening also adjusts for medical devices. Individuals with pacemakers or cochlear implants can request hand-wand screening instead of walking through the metal detector.5United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. ADA Accommodations The standing requirement when the judge enters applies to everyone who is “physically able to do so,” language that explicitly carves out people who cannot stand.2United States Court of Federal Claims. Courtroom Decorum
What Happens If You Break the Rules
Enforcement starts with a verbal warning from the judge or a bailiff. Most minor infractions, like a phone ringing or whispering in the gallery or forgetting to stand, end there. If the behavior continues or disrupts proceedings, the judge can order immediate removal from the courtroom. Security personnel will escort you out and are authorized to use the force necessary to do so.
Serious or repeated violations can result in a finding of contempt. Federal courts derive this authority from 18 U.S.C. ยง 401, which empowers judges to punish misbehavior in the court’s presence that obstructs the administration of justice.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. United States Code Title 18 – 401 In federal court, summary contempt can bring a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment of up to six months.1Department of Justice. Criminal Resource Manual 728 – Criminal Contempt State courts have their own contempt statutes with varying limits, but the framework is similar.
Contempt is not limited to dramatic outbursts. Repeatedly ignoring an instruction to silence your phone, refusing to remove a hat, or continuing to whisper after a warning can all escalate if the judge determines the behavior is willful. The people who get held in contempt are almost never the ones who make an honest mistake. They are the ones who were warned and kept going.