U.S. Courts Design Guide
provided; the drawer should be at least six inches (150 mm) high and
lockable.
Stenographic equipment: A lockable, built-in cabinet must be provided.
Provision of an electrical outlet in the cabinet should be considered to
allow charging the stenographic equipment battery while in storage.
The power and data cabling requirements of the court reporter/recorder must be
accommodated, while considering the station's requirement of mobility.
Computer-aided transcription (CAT) systems require additional electrical outlets.
Real-time transcription requires an extensive local area network (LAN) and
multiple electrical outlets.
U.S. Marshals Service. USMS personnel must be able to see all participants and
the public. Although USMS personnel generally do not have fixed workstations in
the courtrooms, they are usually provided with chairs that can be moved to suit the
needs of a proceeding.
Attorney and Litigant Stations. Attorney and litigant stations are not fixed;
however, they are located within a defined area of the courtroom well.
In USCA courtrooms, attorneys must see and hear other attorneys and be seen and
heard by judges and the bailiff. In trial courtrooms, attorneys and litigants must see
and hear and be seen and heard by one another, the judge, witnesses, jurors,
courtroom deputy clerk, and court reporter/recorder.
In trial courtrooms, attorneys and their clients must be able to confer in private at
their courtroom stations without being overheard by jurors, the witness, opposing
attorneys and litigants, spectators, or others in the courtroom. Attorneys must be
able to move easily within the well of the courtroom.
Each attorney station must have a worksurface (42 inches or 1075 mm deep x 84
inches or 2150 mm wide, minimum), allowing at least two linear feet per person.
Each attorney station should be equipped with at least three movable swivel chairs.
Other movable chairs should be available during multi-litigant cases.
Attorney and litigant stations shall provide floor space and vertical clearance for
wheelchair maneuverability. Attorneys and litigants with disabilities should be able
to use the same approach and participate from the same position as all other
attorneys and litigants. See ADAAG and UFAS for detailed criteria.
In some trials, in-custody defendant(s) must be manacled in the courtroom.
Therefore, jurors' view of the manacles should be eliminated, perhaps through the
use of modesty screens around each counsel table.
Each attorney station must have a microphone connected to the courtroom's
amplification/audio recording system. Wiring for microphones must be hidden from
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12/19/97
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