U.S. County Courthouse Phone Ban, Locker & Jury Parking Report (2026 Data)

Updated 2026-11-04 · Tracked across 399 U.S. County Courthouses

We audited the official administrative orders, juror summons instructions, and Sheriff security directives of the 399 most populous U.S. counties across 44 states. Here are the headline findings for journalists, legal aid organizations, and court administrators.

Key National Findings (2026)

• 109 of 399 counties (27%) prohibit general visitors and pro se traffic/criminal defendants from bringing a cell phone inside the courthouse.
• 78 counties (20%) enforce a total public cell phone ban without providing entrance lockers, disproportionately impacting low-income litigants and rideshare/transit users.
• 33 counties (8%) provide lobby or security vestibule phone lockers, with fees ranging from free to $0.50.
• 399 of 399 counties (100%) exempt summoned jurors from cell phone bans so they can work in the Jury Assembly Room.
• 396 of 399 counties (99%) provide free or validated parking for summoned jurors, while 3 urban courts charge $8 to $45/day.

Download the full CC BY 4.0 dataset on our Open Data page or read our verification methodology.