Press Information Sheet
September 20, 2004 11:09 pm by Gene BorioUNITED STATES OF AMERICA VS. PHILIP MORRIS, INC., ET AL (99CV2496)
Beginning trial date - September 21, 2004
Courtroom #20 (Ceremonial Courtroom), 6th floor - Opening Statements - September 21 & 22
Courtroom #19, 6th floor - September 23 through conclusion ofthe trial
Building hours - The John Marshall Park entrance opens at 8:00 a.m. Access to the 6th floor is permitted after 8:00 a.m. The courtroom will open to the press and public at 9:15 a.m.
Daily schedule - Judge Kessler will begin trial each morning at 9:30 a.m.; take one mid-morning break and continue until 12:30 p.m. The trial will resume at 2:00 p.m. and there will be one break at approximately 3:30 p.m. Proceedings will conclude at approximately 5:00 p.m. each day.
Press seating - For opening statements in the Ceremonial Courtroom, rows 1-4 on both the left-h-and right-hand side sections of seats are reserved for credentialed members of the press with passes. To accommodate as many reporters as possible, nine or ten people will be seated in each row designated for reporters. This is not optional; please cooperate and make room for your colleagues. Sketch artists will sit on the front row inside the well of the court.
Press seats must be filled 10 minutes before each morning and afternoon session begins. Any press seats vacant after that time will be filled on a first come/first served basis with credentialed members of the media who were not allocated a courthouse press pass. Place holders or surrogates will not be allowed to stand in line.
Electronic equipment - Pursuant to local court rules, the use of any form of electronic recording equipment, cellular phones, cameras or laptops is forbidden in the courtroom. Cellular phones and pagers must be turned off prior to entering the courtroom. No eating or drinking is allowed in the courtroom or in the hallways. All persons entering and leaving the courtroom must do so in a non-disruptive manner.
Interviews are not permitted in the hallways or courtroom and are allowed only in the press room (Room 4431, 4th floor) or on National Park Service property outside the courthouse at the John Marshall and Constitution Avenue entrances. Camera crews are restricted to the National Park Service property. Directions given by United States Marshals, Court Security Officers and Federal Protective Service Officers must be followed.
The press is responsible for making arrangements for photocopying materials in this case. Significant memorandum opinions and orders will be posted on the Court’s Internet website at dcd.uscourts.gov. Please do not call Judge Kessler’s chambers.