Rule 2. General.

Rule 2. General.

   Broadcasting, televising, recording, and photographing will be permitted in the courtroom and adjacent areas during sessions of the court, including recesses between sessions, under the following conditions:

   (A) Permission first shall have been granted expressly by the judge, who may prescribe such conditions of coverage as provided for in this rule.

   (B) Expanded media coverage of a proceeding shall be permitted, unless the judge concludes, for reasons stated on the record, that under the circumstances of the particular proceeding such coverage would materially interfere with the rights of the parties to a fair trial.

   (C) Expanded media coverage of a witness also may be refused by the judge upon objection and showing of good cause by the witness. In prosecutions for sexual abuse, or for charges in which sexual abuse is an included offense or an essential element of the charge, there shall be no expanded media coverage of the testimony of a victim/witness unless such witness consents. Further, an objection to coverage by a victim/witness in any other forcible felony prosecution, and by police informants, undercover agents, and relocated witnesses, shall enjoy a rebuttable presumption of validity. The presumption is rebutted by a showing that expanded media coverage will not have a substantial effect upon the particular individual objecting to such coverage which would be qualitatively different from the effect on members of the public in general and that such effect will not be qualitatively different from coverage by other types of media.

   (D) Expanded media coverage is prohibited of any court proceeding which, under Nebraska law, is required to be held in private. In any event, no coverage shall be permitted in any juvenile, dissolution, adoption, child custody, or trade secret cases unless consent on the record is obtained from all parties (including a parent or guardian of a minor child).

   (E) Expanded media coverage of jury selection is prohibited. Expanded media coverage of the return of the jury's verdict shall be permitted with permission of the judge. In all other circumstances, however, expanded media coverage of jurors is prohibited except to the extent it is unavoidable in the coverage of other trial participants or courtroom proceedings.

   The policy of the rules is to prevent unnecessary or prolonged photographic or video coverage of individual jurors.

   (F) There shall be no audio pickup or broadcast of conferences in a court proceeding between attorneys and their clients, between co-counsel or between counsel and the presiding judge held at the bench or in chambers.

   (G) The quantity and types of equipment permitted in the courtroom shall be subject to the discretion of the judge within the guidelines as set out in these rules.

   (H) Notwithstanding the provisions of any procedural or technical rules, the presiding judge, upon application of the media coordinator, may permit the use of equipment or techniques at variance therewith, provided the application for variance is included in the advance notice of coverage. All media representatives will direct communication through the media coordinator.  Ruling upon such a variance application shall be in the sole discretion of the presiding judge. Such variances may be allowed by the presiding judge without advance application or notice if all counsel and parties consent to it.

   (I) The judge may, as to any or all media participants, limit or terminate photographic or electronic media coverage at any time during the proceedings in the event the judge finds that rules have been violated or that substantial rights of individual participants or rights to a fair trial will be prejudiced by such manner of coverage if it is allowed to continue.

   (J) The rights of photographic and electronic coverage provided for herein may be exercised only by persons or organizations which are part of the Nebraska news media.

   (K) A judge may authorize expanded media coverage of ceremonial proceedings at variance with the procedural and technical rules as the judge sees fit.