Arizona Court Reopens Comment on Courthouse Recording
The state Supreme Court has extended its public comment window on proposed rules restricting recording inside courthouses.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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The Arizona Supreme Court has reopened public comment on proposed rules that would require a judge's pre-approval to use any recording device anywhere inside a courthouse. The new deadline to comment is November 23.
Why it matters
The proposal would significantly limit recording in Arizona courthouses, and a competing petition seeks to expand the ability to record. Chief Justice Ann Scott Timmer said recent media coverage may have been a first alert for some people to the issue.
The proposed rule would require judicial pre-approval for any recording device inside an Arizona courthouse, and the public comment period now closes November 23. The justices have not decided whether to adopt either the restrictive petition or the competing one that would expand recording rights.
The players
Arizona Supreme Court
The state's highest court, which oversees the rules governing Arizona's judicial system and is reviewing the proposed courthouse recording rules.
Ann Scott Timmer
The Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, who commented that recent media coverage may have alerted some people to the recording proposal.
The details
The restrictive petition was filed in January and is viewable on the Rules of the Supreme Court forum at azcourts.gov, along with comments and replies for Rules 122 and 122.1. Public comments may be submitted through the online Court Rules Forum after registering, or as a one-page written original filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court in an envelope marked Rule Comment.
Timeline
January: Petition restricting courthouse recording was filed.
November 23: Deadline for public comment on the proposed recording rules.
December: Justices are scheduled to consider changes to courthouse recording rules.
Legal Context
The proposal is being reviewed under Arizona Supreme Court Rules 122 and 122.1, the framework the court uses to amend its own procedural rules. Its outcome will determine whether recording inside state courthouses is restricted or expanded under those rules.
If adopted, the restrictive petition would require judicial approval before any recording device could be used anywhere in an Arizona courthouse, affecting journalists, members of the public, and litigants alike. Anyone wishing to weigh in must register with the Court Rules Forum or file a one-page written comment with the Clerk of the Supreme Court by November 23.
The takeaway
Anyone who wants to influence the courthouse recording rules has until November 23 to file a comment. The justices will weigh those comments before their December consideration.
What happens next
The justices are scheduled to consider changes to courthouse recording rules in December, after public comments close November 23.
Further reading
For more on how court rules are shaped, see Criminal Justice coverage across the state.
More information
Submit or review comments on the proposal at the Arizona Supreme Court Rules Forum.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KJZZ.
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