Security
The United
States Marshals Service, with the assistance of
Court Security Officers (CSO), is responsible for keeping
the District of Columbia Courts a safe and secure environment
for all. Every person entering the D.C. Courts is subject
to search. Handheld possessions are subject to search
and inspection. Dangerous items will be confiscated.
Weapons are prohibited and will be confiscated.
All persons entering the courthouse are
asked to:
- Empty their pockets and place the contents in a
container for X-ray scanning;
- Place overcoats on the belt of the X-ray scanning
machine. Possessions should be left in the coat pockets;
- Place purses, briefcases, backpacks, and parcels
on the X-ray machine;
- Walk through the metal detector.
If the x-ray or metal detector sets off an alert or
alarm, a CSO may perform another scan, using a hand-held
wand. The CSO also may conduct a physical search of
personal articles to determine the cause of the alert
or alarm.
There are a variety of potentially hazardous and dangerous
items that are not permitted inside court facilities.
In general, items that could be used to injure or harm
another person are not permitted. If in doubt about
an item, do not bring it to court. Swiss Army Knives
and other pocket knives are among the prohibited items.
Before leaving the security screening area, persons entering
the courthouse should be sure to retrieve all personal
possessions.
Photography, Video-Recording, and Audio-Recording
Photography, video-recording, and audio-recording
are prohibited within the District of Columbia Courts.
Prohibited photography, video-recording, and audio-recording
includes cellular telephones and other electronic devices,
such as personal assistant devices or palm notepads with
built-in features enabling the device to take photographs,
or make audio- or video- recordings.
All persons entering the courthouse with a camera or
recording device will be asked to leave it with the Court
Security Officer.
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