Opinion ID: 792200
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Control of Court Access

Text: 25 Although we conclude that Smith's constitutional rights were not violated by the imposition of a photo identification requirement, we note our concerns about unilateral steps — even commonsensical and fully justified ones — by the executive branch that restrict court access. Going forward, we emphasize that any such steps must be coordinated with, and approved by the courts. While the Marshals Service and Secretary of DHS are charged by Congress with protecting the federal courts, see 28 U.S.C. § 566; 40 U.S.C. § 1315, the Supreme Court has made clear that courtroom and courthouse premises are subject to the control of the court. Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U.S. 333, 358, 86 S.Ct. 1507, 16 L.Ed.2d 600 (1966); see also Westmoreland v. CBS, Inc., 752 F.2d 16, 24 n. 13 (2d Cir.1984) (the judiciary ... has always had control over the courtrooms); Brewster v. Bordenkircher, 745 F.2d 913, 916 (4th Cir.1984) (It is [the district judge] who is best equipped to decide the extent to which security measures should be adopted to prevent disruption of the trial, harm to those in the courtroom, escape of the accused, and the prevention of other crimes.). 26 Control by the courts is essential, because the judiciary is uniquely attuned to the delicate balance between defendants' Sixth Amendment rights to public trial, the public and press's First Amendment rights to courtroom access, and the overarching security considerations that are unique to the federal facilities containing courtrooms. Because of these factors, special concerns arise when security measures that seem obvious or commonplace in some settings are transferred to the door of such facilities. The judiciary is uniquely competent to strike the proper balance. It is especially important that the judiciary maintain control of security measures that may affect those having business before the courts, because of the danger that litigants could be excluded from the courtroom and procedurally penalized for their absence through no fault of their own and without the knowledge of the court. For these reasons, we expect the Marshals Service to consult with the courts before implementing general security measures that significantly affect court access. Such restrictions should then be approved by the judiciary through, for example, their relevant court security committees.