Courtroom Etiquette

Municipal Court is a place of business and visitors should wear clean, fitted clothes. Shirt and shoes are required. Please take your hat off before entering any courtroom. 

Unacceptable attire includes:

• Shorts, cut-offs, baggy pants, flip-flop style shoes or hats,

• Muscle shirts, T-shirts, clothing indicating gang affiliation or other clothing with offensive, vulgar, racist, sexist, obscene, suggestive words, slogans, depictions or pictures,

• Shirts that are torn, dirty and ragged, too tight, or too short,

• Provocative clothing designed, styled, or worn to provoke emotion or disrupt or distract,

• Pajamas,

• Low-cut tops, and

• Short skirts or dresses.

Please observe the following guidelines when you are in the courtroom:

• Arrive early and be prepared.

• Cell phone use is strictly prohibited in the courtroom. Cell Phones MUST be powered off or placed in "silent" mode & out of sight at ALL times. 

• Taking photographs, making audio and/or video recordings, and broadcasting audio and/or video from within a courthouse or courtroom is general prohibited.

• Gum chewing, tobacco or newspapers are not allowed in the courtroom.

• No food or beverage is allowed in the courtroom.

• Children are allowed in the courtroom as long as they are not disruptive during the proceedings.

• When your case is called, please stand and move to the front of the room.

• Address the judge as "Your Honor".

• Speak only when instructed or given permission.

• Do not interrupt.

• When you answer questions, be brief and to the point.

• Answer the question you were asked and stop.

• Do not argue, especially with the judge.

• Use formal English, not slang.

• Do not approach the judge’s bench without permission.

• Do not enter or depart the courtroom excessively and do not slam the doors.

• Be patient.