State of Florida vs Lisa Marie Nowak
Case No. 48-2007-Cf-1796-O
The following has been prepared to ensure full access without compromising the right of the litigant to a fair and orderly trial. It is the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court’s goal to ensure that the media and general public are accommodated to the best of the Court’s/County’s/City’s abilities during this special interest/high profile proceeding.
The hearing on September 19th regarding the Motion to Suppress Evidence from Unlawful Search and the Motion to Suppress Admissions Illegally Obtained in the State of Florida vs. Lisa Marie Nowak case (48-2007-CF-1796-O) is expected to last from 9:00 a.m. until approximately 3:00 p.m. and will be held in Courtroom 4C (fourth floor) of the Orange County Courthouse.
Note: The start time for the proceeding is now 9:00 a.m.
Media Administrative Orders
Please review Amended Administrative Order 07-96-19 Governing Special Interest/High Profile Proceedings signed by Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr. Also, review Rule 2.450 of the Rules of Judicial Administration, Standards of Conduct and Technology Governing Electronic Media and Still Photography Coverage of Judicial Proceedings. Please note that these orders and any orders issued by the presiding judge will be strictly enforced.
Media Room
The Court has a designated area to serve as a Media Room for the duration of the State vs. Nowak case. This area, located on the second floor of the Orange County Courthouse (Room 230), offers limited work space with the ability to monitor and record the pool feed from the courtroom. The video signal is composite and audio is at microphone level. You will need BNC and XLR cables to connect. The room seats only 6 media representatives. Access to the room is on a first-come, first served basis. The Media Room will be open during normal working hours to authorized media personnel. If needed, extended hours will be determined on a daily basis. The Courthouse is equipped with WiFi capability.
Courthouse Fiber Optic Distribution System
Please review the media feed procedures in the Orange County Courthouse. The Court has infrastructure in place to route the media pool feed from the courtroom to the on-site Media Room (Room 230) and to the media distribution pedestal at the street on Orange Avenue. The pedestal has 36 composite video and microphone level audio outputs. A representative from the Audio Visual Department will be on hand to address any signal or routing issues.
Cameras
Pursuant to Order of the Florida Supreme Court, only one television camera, one still camera, and one audio sound system for radio will be allowed in the courtroom. No additional cameras will be permitted to be used in the courtroom. Cell phones are allowed, however use of cell phone cameras is prohibited. Cell phones must be placed in the vibrate or off mode.
The trial judge has designated a specified location in the courtroom for the pool television camera person and the pool still photographer. It is presumed that all media personnel have read and know the content of Rule 2.420 of the Rules of Judicial Administration, Standards of Conduct and Technology Governing Electronic Media and Still Photography coverage of Judicial Proceedings.
Portable Microwave Transmission
Due to safety and security concerns, use of portable microwave transmission equipment is prohibited within the courthouse.
Pooling
Pooling arrangements shall be the sole responsibility of the media. Note: Court TV has expressed an interest in serving as the Pool camera.Satellite coordinates for the event will be forthcoming from Court TV. Please contact Aletse Mellado with Court TV at 305-213-1457 or at aletse.mellado@turner.com. The Orlando Sentinel has requested to serve as pool photographer. Please contact Tom Burton at 407-420-5473 or Tburtonw@orlandosentinel.com.
Courtroom Access/Seating/Laptops
The hearing on September 19th will be held in Courtroom 4C of the Orange County Courthouse, 425 N. Orange Avenue. The Courtroom has approximately 100 seats. Seating in the courtroom for members of the press will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Use of laptops will be permitted in the back row of the courtroom. No Power strips will be provided. The courthouse is equipped with WiFi capability.
Courtroom Opening/Closing
The hearing on September 19th will begin at 9:00 a.m The court deputy will open the courtroom for all media and general public at 8:30 a.m. The courtroom will be made available to the pool media before the proceeding for installation and power-up of equipment. Media should line up outside the Courtroom. Access will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that the Courtroom will be cleared during the lunch break. Media personnel should not leave the courtroom while court is in session. Periodic recesses will be given.
Movement During Proceedings
The video camera in the courtroom must be mounted and operated from a tripod. The still camera can be handheld, however, neither the video or still photographer is permitted to move about in the courtroom during the proceedings, nor engage in any movement or conversation that attracts undue attention. The video camera can only be installed or removed from the courtroom when the Court is not in session.
Credentials/Badges/Decorum
All media representatives are required to wear their media credentials at all times. Media persons are requested to dress appropriately. No chewing gum, please. No food or drink. Please place all cell phones/pagers in vibrate or off mode.
Security
Security personnel will check all media representatives and equipment on entering the courthouse building and may require additional checks before entering the courtroom. Please allow sufficient time to go through security. Media can access the courthouse using either the front doors or the employee entrance. The media shall comply with the instructions of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the City of Orlando Police Department.
Interviews
Media interviews should be conducted only in areas specifically designated by the Court. Interviews can be conducted in the open lounge area on the east side of the 4th floor. Do not block ingress or egress of the courtroom or elevators. Media personnel should not interfere with the safety, security or movement of persons in hallways, doorways, elevators, etc. Please do not stand on furniture. Outside interviews will be permitted on the plaza. However, interviews should not block pedestrian flow. Further, no interviews will be permitted on the Courthouse steps. Temporary positioning of cameras and lights for “stand-ups” is permitted in the courthouse plaza.
Tents
Media representatives wishing to erect tents/easy-ups must first contact Stephanie Soto with Orange County Facilities at 407-836-1231 or email at Stephanie.Soto@ocfl.net. It is the responsibility of the user to ensure that all tents are anchored down using sand bags or 5 gallon weighted buckets. Please be sure that there are no cable and/or other equipment trip hazards.
Copies of Pleadings/viewing Exhibits
The Court will obtain copies of proceedings from the Clerk of Court’s Office for distribution to the media. Provisions for viewing/photographing of admitted exhibits will be made at the conclusion of the hearing. Judicial orders and other relevant documents will be made available to the media in a timely basis.
Parking
There is extremely limited parking in the semi-circle in front of the Orange County Courthouse. Semi-circle positioning of trucks was determined by lottery for local media. Parking is only in the lane closest to the Courthouse. The outside lane must remain clear for drop off. Additional metered parking spaces can be rented for live truck parking through the City of Orlando along the west side of Orange Avenue and along Amelia St. To rent metered spaces call, 407-246-2155 or visit www.cityoforlando.net/parking Note: The City of Orlando prohibits cabling across any city streets. There are plenty of metered parking spaces and a 1,500 space fee based parking garage located adjacent to the courthouse for non broadcast vehicles. Please note that the clearance is 7 feet in the garage.
All parking will be strictly enforced. Any vehicles parked on sidewalks or in reserved spaces will be towed. For specific parking questions, please call 407-246-2155 Monday through Friday 8 a.m- 5 p.m.
For specific parking questions, please call 407-246-2155 Monday through Friday 8 a.m- 5 p.m. Problems that arise may be referred to: