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.
Superior Court Building Evacuation Information for Jurors
In the event evacuation of the building is necessary, the fire alarm, public address system and bull horns will be used to inform Court occupants. Evacuation of physically challenged jurors will be given the highest priority in all emergencies. These jurors will be taken to the main elevator banks on their floors by designated monitors. They will remain in this area until further instructions are provided by an Emergency Coordinator or designee.
Jurors waiting in the Jurors’ Lounge, the Jurors’ Business Center, and in the surrounding area will be directed by designated Stairway Monitors (orange vests) to assigned stairways leading out of the building. These jurors should report back to the Jurors’ Lounge when advised by Court Security Officers that it is safe to re-enter the building.
Jurors in courtrooms will be directed as to what they should do by the courtroom staff. If they are not provided with specific reporting instructions at the time of the evacuation, they should return to their assigned courtroom when it is safe to re-enter the building.
To determine if the Court is open on the next business day, please visit the Homepage of the Courts’ Website at: www.dccourts.gov. To view a current list of courtrooms, visit the Daily Courtroom Assignment List. If you do not have access to a computer, you may speak to or leave a message with a staff person in the Jurors' Office by calling (202) 879-4604.
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