Good courtroom etiquette rules come down to a short list: address the judge as “Your Honor,” stand when the judge or jury enters and exits, dress like the proceeding matters, silence your phone before you walk in, speak only when it’s your turn, and arrive on time. Get those right and you’ll rarely go wrong. Get them wrong, and the consequences run from a warning to a contempt finding that carries a fine or jail time.
How to Address the Judge
In every American courtroom, the expected way to address a judge is “Your Honor.” That applies to attorneys, defendants, witnesses, and anyone else speaking to the bench. Magistrate judges, bankruptcy judges, and administrative law judges all get the same treatment. In writing, judges are referred to as “The Honorable” followed by the full name, with a salutation like “Dear Judge [Surname].”
Attorneys typically open with “Good morning, Your Honor” or “Good afternoon, Your Honor.” Before oral argument in appellate courts, the traditional opener is “May it please the Court.” State supreme court justices are usually addressed as “Justice” rather than “Judge.” If you’re ever unsure of the correct title, “Your Honor” is a safe default.
When to Stand, Sit, and Speak
Everyone rises when the judge enters and exits the courtroom. The bailiff signals it, usually with something like “All rise for the Honorable Judge [Name].” You stay standing until the judge sits or tells you to. The same applies when the jury comes in and goes out.
Federal courts often publish this in writing. The Southern District of Texas tells participants to “stand when the judge or jury enters or leaves the courtroom,” to “stand when the Court speaks to you,” and to stand “when you speak to the Court.”1United States District Court, Southern District of Texas. Courtroom Etiquette Courts that don’t publish a written policy follow the same practice.
Physical disabilities are accommodated. Wheelchair users and anyone who can’t rise aren’t expected to. But refusing to stand when you’re able to sends an unmistakable signal of disrespect, and some judges treat it as contempt.
The basic rules for speaking: speak only when it’s your turn, address your remarks to the judge rather than the opposing party, and don’t interrupt. Witnesses answer the question asked, nothing more. Spectators don’t speak at all unless called on. Whispering, side conversations, and passing notes are treated as disruptions and can get you removed.
What to Wear
There’s no national dress code, but the expectation is universal: dress like the proceeding matters. Business attire works everywhere. For men, that means slacks, a collared shirt, and dress shoes at minimum, with a suit and tie for anything serious. For women, a blouse with dress pants or a knee-length skirt, or a professional dress, with closed-toe shoes.
What to avoid is a short list: jeans, sneakers, flip-flops, tank tops, shorts, athletic wear, and clothing with large logos or graphics. Hats are prohibited in nearly every courtroom unless worn for religious or medical reasons. Guidance from the Southern District of West Virginia advises that “your attire should be respectful to the litigants, their counsel, and the Court” and recommends business attire.2United States District Court, Southern District of West Virginia. Dress Code and Courtroom Etiquette
Religious head coverings, including hijabs, yarmulkes, and turbans, are always permitted. No judge can require you to remove religious headwear. Courtrooms tend to run cold, so a sweater or light jacket is worth bringing.
What You Can and Can’t Bring In
Every federal courthouse screens visitors through metal detectors and X-ray machines. The U.S. Marshals Service prohibits all weapons, including firearms and knives.3U.S. Marshals Service. What to Expect When Visiting a Courthouse State courthouses generally do the same, though procedures vary.
Cameras and recording equipment are banned from federal courtrooms under a nationwide policy of the Judicial Conference of the United States, which prohibits broadcasting, televising, recording, or photographing proceedings for public dissemination. Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53 separately prohibits photographing or broadcasting criminal proceedings.4United States Courts. Guide to Judiciary Policy, Vol. 10, Ch. 4 – Cameras in the Courtroom
Cell phones cause the most trouble. Some federal courthouses ban phones with recording capability entirely; others let you carry a phone but require it to be completely off during proceedings.5Tenth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel. Courthouse Visitors Policy A ringing phone during a hearing draws a sharp look from the bench at minimum. Silence your phone before you enter the building and don’t touch it once proceedings begin. Most courthouses have no storage lockers, so if you show up with a prohibited item, you may have to leave and find somewhere outside to put it.3U.S. Marshals Service. What to Expect When Visiting a Courthouse
Body Language and Reactions
Judges and jurors read body language constantly. Slouching, crossing your arms, or staring at the ceiling while someone testifies communicates that you don’t take the proceeding seriously. Sit upright, face forward, and pay attention. That’s it.
Eye contact is context-dependent. Attorneys look at the judge when arguing and at the jury during opening and closing statements. Witnesses should look at the person asking the question or at the jury when answering. Avoiding eye contact reads as evasive; staring reads as aggressive. Aim for natural and attentive.
The behaviors that actually get people in trouble are reactive ones. Rolling your eyes when the other side speaks. Sighing audibly during testimony. Shaking your head at the jury. Laughing during a victim impact statement. Judges have held people in contempt for exactly these outbursts, and subtler versions still erode your credibility with jurors, who are watching you the entire time.
Attorneys carry extra weight here because jurors associate a lawyer’s behavior with the client. A bored, irritated, or smug lawyer hurts the client’s image. A client who fidgets, whispers constantly, or reacts visibly to testimony makes the lawyer’s job harder.
Don’t Talk to Jurors
If you’re a party or an attorney, you must not communicate with jurors during a trial. No greetings in the hallway. No small talk in the elevator. No eye contact that could look like an attempt to influence. The ABA’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct prohibit attorneys from communicating with jurors or prospective jurors during proceedings unless authorized by law or court order, and from engaging in any conduct intended to disrupt a tribunal.6American Bar Association. Rule 3.5 – Impartiality and Decorum of the Tribunal If you’re a layperson involved in a case, the rule is simpler: don’t talk to jurors until your attorney tells you it’s fine.
Being on Time
Arriving late wastes the judge’s time, delays the calendar for everyone else, and signals disrespect. Chronic lateness can affect a judge’s read of your credibility in ways that never show up in a written ruling.
Missing a court date entirely is a different problem. In federal cases, failure to appear is a separate criminal offense. If you were released on bail for a felony carrying five or more years, failing to appear can add up to five years to your sentence. For a misdemeanor, it’s up to one year. These penalties run on top of the sentence for the underlying charge, not instead of it.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 3146 – Penalty for Failure to Appear State courts impose similar penalties and will typically issue a bench warrant. You can be picked up at home, at work, or during a traffic stop.
If you know you’ll be late or can’t make it, contact your attorney or the clerk’s office as early as possible. Courts can sometimes reschedule, and good faith counts for something. Staying silent and hoping nobody notices does not work.
Virtual Hearing Etiquette
Remote hearings became widespread during the COVID-19 pandemic and are still common. Treat a virtual hearing exactly like an in-person one. Dress as you would for court. Use your full legal name as your screen display. Sit at a desk or table rather than a couch or bed. Federal court guidelines instruct participants to “dress for your Zoom proceeding as if you were attending your court proceeding in the courtroom.”8United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California. Guidelines for Court Hearings on Zoom
A few technical points that trip people up:
- Use a plain wall or neutral virtual background. Check behind you for anything distracting or any confidential documents in view.
- Light yourself from the front or side. A bright window behind you turns your face into a silhouette.
- Use a headset with a microphone if you can. Mute yourself when you’re not speaking, and silence device notifications.
- Join from a quiet, private room. Do not connect from a moving vehicle; courts have explicitly prohibited it.8United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California. Guidelines for Court Hearings on Zoom
Speak only when called on, just as you would in person. If your connection drops, most courts have a backup phone number to rejoin. The worst mistake is treating a virtual hearing casually because you’re at home. Judges have seen people appear shirtless, from bed, and while eating lunch. None of them made a good impression.
Bringing Children
Children are generally allowed in courtrooms, but they have to stay quiet and still. If a child becomes disruptive, the judge or a court officer will ask you both to leave.9United States District Court, Northern District of Iowa. Can Children Attend a Hearing or Trial? For sensitive proceedings, judges may restrict the gallery regardless of age. If you have to bring a child, bring another adult too, so someone can step out if needed. Some courthouses have a childcare room, but don’t count on it.
What Happens if You Break the Rules
Consequences range from a verbal warning to jail time, depending on severity and the judge’s patience. Under federal law, courts can punish three categories of contempt: misbehavior in or near the courtroom that obstructs justice, misconduct by court officers, and disobedience of a court order.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 401 – Power of Court For criminal contempt that doesn’t involve violating a court order, the maximum penalty is a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 402 – Contempts Constituting Crimes
In practice, most etiquette violations don’t reach a formal contempt charge. A first offense like talking out of turn, a ringing phone, or inappropriate attire usually draws a warning. Repeated or deliberate misbehavior escalates fast. Courtroom contempt can be imposed on the spot with no separate hearing. The people who face real consequences are those who refuse direct instructions, make outbursts during proceedings, or make it impossible for the court to function.
Local Variation
Customs vary from one court to the next, sometimes in ways that surprise people. In some jurisdictions attorneys stay seated when addressing the bench; in others they stand for every exchange. Some judges prefer “Judge [Name]” to “Your Honor.” Local rules govern details like whether you can approach a witness without asking, or whether exhibits must be pre-marked.
Federal courts follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, but individual districts layer on their own local rules covering courtroom behavior, electronic devices, and other logistics.12United States Courts. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure State courts add another layer, with each state maintaining its own procedural framework.
If you’re appearing in a court you haven’t been to, check the court’s website for published etiquette guidelines or local rules. When in doubt, err toward more formality. You’ll never regret being overdressed or overly polite in a courtroom.