Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_22-cv-00723/USCOURTS-caed-1_22-cv-00723-8/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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Case No. 1:22-cv-00723-CDB

ORDER ON COURTROOM/TRIAL DECORUM

MAGISTRATE JUDGE CHRISTOPHER D. BAKER

The purpose of these guidelines is to state, for the guidance of counsel, the basic rules concerning 

courtroom decorum while in trial. The requirements stated are minimal, not all-inclusive, and are 

intended to supplement, not supplant or limit, the ethical obligations of counsel under the Code of 

Professional Responsibility or the time-honored customs of experienced trial counsel.

When appearing in this Court, all counsel (and where, appropriate, all persons seated at counsel table) 

shall abide by the following:

1. The parties and witnesses should be appropriately attired. Public officials (including law 

enforcement officers, fire department personnel, military officers, etc.) who normally wear an 

official uniform while on duty, if they are parties to the action or counsel in the action, should 

not wear their uniforms during trial unless they have obtained prior permission from the Court. 

2. Stand at the lectern while examining any witness. Counsel may approach the Courtroom Deputy 

Clerk’s desk or the witness for the purposes of handing or tendering exhibits, if permission is 

granted by the Court. If counsel wish to depart from the area of the lectern during their 

presentation, they must be equipped with a lapel microphone or they will risk that the recording 

will not pick up their voices.

3. Except as provided above, stand at or near the lectern while making opening statements or 

closing arguments, except to refer to exhibits. Do not crowd the jury.

4. Address all remarks to the Court, not to the opponent.

5. Avoid disparaging personal remarks or acrimony toward opposing counsel and/or parties. 

Remain detached from any ill-feeling between the litigants or witnesses.

6. Do not approach the jury box. Anything the jury needs will be handled by the Courtroom Deputy 

Clerk.

7. Refer to all persons, including witnesses, other counsel, and the parties, by their surnames and 

not by their first or given names or nicknames. 

8. Only one attorney for each party shall examine each witness on direct or cross-examination. 

Only the attorney who examines a witness shall state objections to questions by other counsel 

to that witness. 

9. Motions, the opening statement, or closing argument may be divided among counsel if a party 

has more than one trial counsel and if different subjects are addressed by counsel, but only if 

prior permission has been granted by the Court.

10. Counsel should request permission before approaching the bench or a witness. 

11. Any documents or exhibits counsel wishes to have the Court examine, should be handed to the 

Courtroom Deputy Clerk.

12. Any paper exhibit not previously marked for identification should first be handed to the 

Courtroom Deputy Clerk to be marked before it is tendered to a witness for examination or 

placed on a viewing screen.

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Case No. 1:22-cv-00723-CDB

13. Any exhibit offered in evidence should, at the time of such offer, be handed to the opponent 

unless the exhibit has been pre-marked and the opponent has been provided a copy already.

14. Exhibits should be moved into evidence after the foundation is laid at the time the exhibit is first 

used with a witness. Do not wait until the close of the evidence to move for the admission of 

exhibits.

15. Absolutely no speaking objections. In making objections, counsel should state only the legal 

grounds for the objection and should withhold further comment or argument, unless 

elaboration is requested by the Court at sidebar.

16. In examining a witness, counsel shall not repeat, comment on, or exhibit approval or disapproval 

of the answer given by the witness.

17. Offers of, or requests for, a stipulation should be made to opposing counsel, out of the hearing 

of the jury.

18. In opening statements and closing arguments to the jury, counsel shall not express their own 

personal knowledge, personal experience or personal opinion concerning any matter in dispute.

19. Counsel shall not, in the presence of the jury, refer to any matter not in evidence.

20. Counsel shall admonish all persons seated at counsel table and parties and persons under their 

direction and/or control, such as witnesses and associates, friends or family members, present 

in the courtroom, that gestures, facial expressions, laughing, snickering, audible comments, or 

other manifestations of approval, disapproval or disrespect during the testimony of witnesses 

are strictly prohibited.

21. Counsel shall not, in the jury’s presence, refer to any matter, witness, exhibit, or testimony that 

has been excluded by an order granting a motion in limine, or to which an objection was 

sustained, and/or motion to strike has been granted. 

22. Counsel shall not make a Rule 50 motion or other such motion, in the presence of the jury. If 

counsel wishes to make such a motion, counsel shall notify the Court in words similar to, “The 

Plaintiff/Defendant has a motion to make under Rule 50.” The Court will then take the matter 

up as soon as possible outside the presence of the jury. This may not be until a scheduled 

break.

23. Counsel are discouraged from requesting sidebar conferences. Counsel are expected to 

anticipate issues and, as necessary, to make a record out of the presence of the jury. 

24. Counsel shall return to the courtroom promptly from breaks and SHALL be in the courtroom in 

the morning and after the lunch break at least FIVE minutes before the time the Court requires 

the jury members to return.

25. The parties’ counsel shall confer with each other prior to departing the courthouse each 

afternoon and provide lists of anticipated witnesses to be called during the following day.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 12, 2024 ___________________ _

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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