Off The Beat: Why Can't the Public Take Pictures in a Public Courtroom?

Sara Lin/Civil Beat

Almost everyone these days has a cell phone with a camera.

But you're not required to leave your cell phone at the door when you enter a Hawaii state courtroom. So why does the court still make people ask permission before taking pictures in a public courtroom?

We went to court on Wednesday for a petty misdemeanor prostitution case. We filled out all the appropriate forms that every journalist needs to fill out if he or she wants to take pictures or video in court.

But when the time came for the judge to rule on the request, there was confusion — the lawyers complained that they hadn't been notified in advance, and the judge himself needed to look up the definition of what that meant. By the time they sorted it out, it was too late. The judge rejected the request and the hearing was done.

We understand that there's good reasons not to take pictures of jurors or witnesses. But that should be the standard rule: People can take pictures, just not of jurors or witnesses.

Make the de facto rule that cameras can be in the courtroom, and it's up to a judge to make the exceptions.

The courtroom is a public place where justice is being done. If the public is allowed to sit in on any trial, what's the difference if they can photograph or videotape it?

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