Rule 36 - Local Court Security Rule (Interim)

The Washington County Common Pleas Court, General Division, is charged with dispensing justice, resolving disputes and protecting the Constitutional Rights of those who appear before the Court.

Accordingly, appropriate levels of security should exist in the Court to protect the integrity of Court Procedures, protect the rights of individuals before it, deter those who would take violent action against the Court or litigants, sustain proper decorum and the dignity of the Court and assure Court facilities are secure for all those who visit and work there.

Therefore, pursuant to the Rules of Superintendence for the Common Pleas Court, Rule 18, The General Division of the Common Pleas court establishes as follows:

The General Division of the Common Pleas Court, in cooperation with the Juvenile/Probate Division of the court and the Marietta Municipal court has appointed a Local Security Advisory Committee consisting of representatives of each of the following groups: judges, law enforcement responsible for Court security, funding authorities, and other bar and community groups as deemed appropriate by the Court.

The Court shall implement a Local Security Policy and Procedure Plan upon completion of a security audit of the facilities, including a request for the installation of emergency notification systems, the development of procedures for the transportation of prisoners, the adoption of a policy prohibiting weapons in the facilities including provisions for the search for weapons and the seizure of the same prior to entry into court facilities with non-contraband items being returned to the owners upon leaving the facility, the development of a policy on law enforcement carrying weapons in the court room, etc.

The local Court Security Advisory Committee shall adopt a Security Operations Manual, subject to the approval of the court, which manual shall establish written directives for the purpose of ensuring security within the Court while maintaining accessibility to the community.

Pending completion of the security audit, and development of the Security Operations Manual, the court makes the following interim Rules:

1. No weapon shall be possessed by any litigant, witness or other participant or spectator in a Court facility, except for the admission into evidence in a case. When a firearm is to e admitted into evidence it shall be unloaded and any safety features engaged.
2. The Judge may prohibit the carrying of weapons in the Court Room by Law Enforcement personnel not charged with Court Security.
3. The Judge, when deemed appropriate, may require a search for weapons of all persons, including attorney, litigants, witnesses and spectators, prior to entry into the Court room and the detention of any weapons or items that might be used as weapons located during the search. Non-contraband items are to be returned to the owners upon leaving the Court facility.
4. The Judge, when deemed appropriate, may make such other orders in regards to spectators and participants as are needed to assure the security of the persons in the Court, provided however that the Court shall be maintained as a public forum and that no restriction shall be implemented that restricts the public's right to attend and observe any public Court hearing.

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