I try to advise my clients about the entire experience of attending court, especially cell rules.
A Florida woman was convicted of contempt when her cell rang in the courtroom. Lucky for her, the conviction was reversed on appeal. But you definitely don’t want to go down that road at all.
The area courts have differing policies about cell s. It can be quite confusing at times. Here are the current cell rules, as I understand them:
Spotsylvania – No cell s allowed in the courthouse, unless you are just going to the clerk’s office. Usually they will allow a cell (on silent) in that instance.
Fredericksburg – No cell s allowed.
Stafford – Cell s are allowed, but they must be on silent.
Note that Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg will not hold your for you at the security desk. You must return your to your vehicle.
If you are going to court for any reason, read the signs posted before entering to make sure you comply with all the rules. Nobody wants to be cited for contempt of court.