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Court access and transparency

These letters support allowing federal judges to authorize courtroom camera coverage with protections for defendants, jurors, and vulnerable witnesses. Choose the Rules Committee letter to request a change to Rule 53, or the Senate letter to ask Congress to act.

Reference documents

Read the legal text alongside the editable letters. The rule is in effect; the bills below are proposals, not enacted law. Bill copies are the complete versions reported to the Senate on June 23, 2026.

Rule 53 official reference copy

This one-page PDF reproduces the unaltered official page containing the complete text of Rule 53. It is printed page 68 of the December 1, 2025 Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure publication, and includes neighboring rules for context.

S 1133 Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2025

Proposed legislation · Reported in Senate June 23, 2026 · 10 pages. This is the bill referenced in the Senate letter template. Download the complete government PDF, including its safeguards and three-year district court sunset provision.

S 1146 Cameras in the Courtroom Act

Proposed legislation · Reported in Senate June 23, 2026 · 4 pages. This separate bill addresses television coverage of Supreme Court open sessions. The complete government PDF is included for comparison.

Why cameras are restricted in federal court

Federal camera restrictions come from both procedural rules and judiciary policy. Most proceedings are open to people attending in person, but public attendance and permission to broadcast are separate questions. The rules also differ by court and type of proceeding. Read the U.S. Courts access overview.

Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53

Rule 53 — Courtroom Photographing and Broadcasting Prohibited generally bars photographs during courtroom proceedings and broadcasts from the courtroom in federal criminal cases, except where a statute or the rules authorize otherwise. It has restricted electronic coverage since 1946. A trial judge ordinarily cannot waive it simply because a case attracts public interest. Read the official Rule 53 text.

Judicial Conference policy for district courts

The Guide to Judiciary Policy, Volume 10, Chapter 4, §§ 410–440 generally restricts public photography, recording, and broadcasting of civil and criminal district court proceedings. It contains limited exceptions, including ceremonies and approved pilot programs. Section 420(b) permits judges to allow live public audio of civil and bankruptcy non-trial proceedings during portions without witness testimony. That exception does not authorize public video coverage of federal criminal trials.

The policy identifies concerns about witness and juror intimidation, confidentiality, and interference with proceedings. Supporters of reform argue that supervised camera access can help people observe courts when travel or other responsibilities prevent attendance. The letters above advocate judicial discretion with safeguards.

Appeals and the Supreme Court

Federal appeals courts can decide whether to broadcast appellate proceedings. This does not create permission to televise a district court criminal trial. Check the relevant circuit’s access arrangements. The Supreme Court provides live oral-argument audio and later recordings and transcripts; television coverage is the subject of a separate bill described below.

A limited statutory exception for victims

34 U.S.C. § 20142 requires closed-circuit trial coverage for crime victims in specified circumstances when venue moves out of state and more than 350 miles from the original location. It includes safeguards against wider transmission. This is restricted victim access, not general public livestreaming. See the statute and judiciary policy § 440.

Bills seeking to change camera access

Status reviewed October 28, 2026. Both bills below advanced from the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 18, 2026, and were reported to the Senate on June 23. Neither has become law. Committee approval is one stage of the legislative process; it does not itself change courtroom access. Read the committee announcement.

S 1133 Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2025

Sponsored by Senator Chuck Grassley with bipartisan support, S. 1133 would let presiding federal judges authorize photography, recording, or broadcasts. It includes juror and witness protections, requires guidelines for vulnerable witnesses, and gives district courts authority that expires three years after enactment. It grants discretion rather than requiring every case to be televised. Latest verified action: Senate Calendar No. 444, June 23, 2026. Track S. 1133 · Read the reported bill text.

S 1146 Cameras in the Courtroom Act

Sponsored by Senator Dick Durbin with bipartisan support, S. 1146 focuses on the Supreme Court. It would require television coverage of open sessions unless a majority of justices finds that coverage in a particular case would violate a party’s due process rights. It would add a new 28 U.S.C. § 678; that section is proposed, not existing law. Latest verified action: Senate Calendar No. 445, June 23, 2026. Track S. 1146 · Read the reported bill text.

Major past efforts and partial changes

This selected history includes proposals that stalled and changes that allowed limited access. The official judiciary timeline documents the policy milestones below.

• 1946: Criminal Rule 53 took effect, restricting courtroom photography and broadcasts.
• 1972: The Judicial Conference adopted a camera prohibition covering civil and criminal cases.
• 1991–1994: A pilot tested electronic coverage in six district courts and two appeals courts.
• September 1994: The Conference declined broader civil coverage and a proposed amendment allowing criminal coverage under guidelines.
• 1996: Appeals courts gained discretion to permit broadcasting of appellate arguments.
• 2005–2006: S. 829 proposed allowing media coverage at judges’ discretion. Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2005
• 2011–2015: Fourteen district courts participated in another civil video pilot.
• 2016: The Conference left the general policy unchanged; three Ninth Circuit districts continued the civil pilot.
• 2021–2022: Another Sunshine proposal, S. 818, reached a favorable committee vote. S. 818 · Judiciary Committee activity report
• 2023–2024: S. 833 again proposed broader federal coverage; S. 858 addressed Supreme Court television coverage. S. 833 · S. 858
• September 22, 2023: Policy began permitting discretionary live audio of eligible civil and bankruptcy non-trial proceedings without witness testimony.

A narrower Rule 53 review in 2026

The October 14, 2026 Criminal Rules Committee agenda includes a memorandum on studying narrowly limited transmissions to victims and third-party custodians at bail hearings. It reports that an earlier broader review produced no Rule 53 change and that a new subcommittee was appointed for the narrower issues. This is study of possible exceptions, not an adopted amendment or approval of public criminal-trial broadcasts. Read the memorandum, page 161.

How the restrictions can change

Congress can enact legislation authorizing camera access. The judiciary can also pursue a Rule 53 amendment through advisory and standing committees, public comment, the Judicial Conference, the Supreme Court, and congressional review. The Rules Enabling Act provisions, including 28 U.S.C. §§ 2072–2074, govern that process. Related camera policies would need to accommodate any broader access. Read the official rulemaking explanation.

Personalize and submit your letter

1. Replace every bracketed field, including the date, your name, and the recipient’s details.
2. Add a short personal statement if you wish. Delete the optional instruction paragraph before sending.
3. Check the current bill number and status using the official links below. The Senate template references S. 1133 in the 119th Congress and any successor legislation.
4. Read the finished letter and send it yourself using the appropriate submission route below.

Send a suggestion to the Rules Committee

Email your completed Rule 53 letter to RulesCommittee_Secretary@ao.uscourts.gov. Suggested subject: Public Suggestion to Amend Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53. This is a suggestion for a rule change; you do not need to wait for a formal comment period. The judiciary generally makes suggestions public, so include only contact details you are comfortable making public. See the official submission instructions.

Send a letter to your U.S. senators

Use the official Senate directory to find the two U.S. senators representing your state and their contact forms or mailing addresses. Send a separate personalized letter to each senator. Senate offices ask for your return postal address and may require your ZIP code to confirm that you are a constituent. These letters concern federal policy and are intended for U.S. senators.

Official sources and current legislation

• U.S. Courts guidance on remote public access
• How the federal rulemaking process works
• Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2025 — S. 1133
• Official bill text reported to the Senate

Reviewed October 28, 2026. The latest action verified for S. 1133 was its placement on the Senate calendar on June 23, 2026. It has not become law. The proposal would give judges discretion to permit coverage; it would not guarantee that every proceeding is broadcast. Check the official bill page for later action before sending.