Information for Journalists
The court is committed to facilitating access to court information, documents, and proceedings for journalists. To aid in the court's commitment to providing access to court information, headphones are available to journalists upon request, ensuring court proceedings can clearly and audibly be heard. 

Journalists are reminded to:

For answers to questions not addressed on this website, please contact the court's media liaison via email at media@flmd.uscourts.gov or by calling (407) 835-5985.

Journalists should contact the media liaison for all questions concerning court proceedings, filing, and the like. Journalists should not contact Judge Byron's chambers, courtroom deputy, law clerks, or case administrator directly about such matters. Journalists also should not contact any other judge's chambers, courtroom deputy, law clerk, or case administrator about such matters.

Cell Phones and Laptop Computers
Journalists with press credentials will be permitted to bring a cell phone and laptop computer into the courthouse for the limited purpose of use outside the courtroom. 

Pursuant to a January 24, 2018 order by United States District Judge Paul G. Byron, registration and a court-issued photo ID is required for any members of the media who wish to bring electronics into the courthouse and press room during the United States v. Salman trial proceedings.

To receive a photo ID, members of the media must fill out an online registration form and submit a digital front-face photo image. Approved media will receive a notice of approval and should pick up their non-transferable photo ID badges at the courthouse, beginning February 27. This photo ID badge must be worn at all times inside and immediately outside the courthouse for the duration of the proceedings.

Registration and photo ID badge are required to:

Early registration is strongly encouraged, and media must register by Monday, February 26, 2018, to ensure a photo ID badge will be available by March 1, 2018, when the trial proceedings begin. Applications received after February 26, 2018 will be processed as quickly as possible, but no specific delivery timetable is guaranteed.

Credentials will be provided to print, broadcast, and digital media employees, and to sketch artists, who can demonstrate they work for an established media organization or who have published two or more news articles or commentaries online. Freelancers may be asked to provide a letter of authorization from the news outlet they are working for. Those attending the proceedings solely as book authors will have first-come, first-serve access to the primary courtroom, but they will not be entitled to media credentials or access to the media overflow courtroom.

Go to Media Registration

For questions about media registration, email media@flmd.uscourts.gov (link sends e-mail) or call (407) 835-5985. Do not contact Judge Byron's chambers directly. Journalists also should not contact any other judge's chambers directly.

A copy of Judge Byron's January 24, 2018 order as well as a frequently asked questions sheet are attached:

Sketch Artists

Sketch artists are permitted in the courtroom and the overflow room. Sketch artists are precluded from sketching the jurors and are cautioned to be discreet, so as not to disrupt court proceedings.

Photography, Recording & Electronic Devices
Journalists are often surprised by the very restrictive rules applicable to photography and recording of proceedings in federal district courts. These rules are due to national policies affecting all federal district courts.

Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53 bars photography and broadcasting in criminal proceedings. Broadcasting of proceedings is prohibited by policy of the Judicial Conference of the United States. This encompasses the use of all audio or video recording devices of any kind. No journalist or member of the public may photograph or record any court proceeding under any circumstances.

Local Rule 4.11(a)(2), (b)
Local Rule 4.11(a)(2), (b), which has been adopted by the court to implement the above national policies, regulates possession and use of electronic devices in the courthouse. Members of the media should read Local Rule 4.11(a)(2), (b) in its entirety.

Pressroom, Room 4-420
The pressroom on the fourth floor has work space to accommodate visiting journalists. The pressroom has free wifi, a small kitchen area, restrooms, and lockers. Journalists may bring a brown bag lunch into the courthouse to be eaten in the pressroom only. Lockers are provided for day use to store personal items, cell phones, and laptop computers while journalists are in the courtroom. Journalists must bring their own locks. Locks left on lockers overnight will be removed. Press credentials are to be displayed at all times while using the space. Occupancy is limited to a first-come, first-served basis. This room will close at 5:00 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of a court proceeding lasting past normal business hours.

Please see the photos below for an idea of what to expect from this workspace.

Broadcast Media
In order to continue normal courthouse operations, designated media areas have been identified. Cameras are allowed on the sidewalk area adjoining the courthouse near the intersection of West Central Boulevard and Division Street. A designated space will be created to the left facing the main entrance. Camera crews and/or press are not to block the main entryway or the steps. All interviews should be conducted at a reasonable location from the steps, so as to not interfere with normal ingress and egress. These procedures may be adjusted at the discretion of the United States Marshals Service.