Court Guidelines
General Guidelines for Courtroom Behavior
To preserve respect for the Court, please follow the below guidelines while in the courtroom:
- Arrive early
- Turn cell phones off before entering the courtroom
- Do not enter, leave and re-enter the courtroom multiple times
- Do not run, stomp or slam doors
- Children who are loud or disruptive must be taken out of the courtroom by someone who accompanied you
- Do not chew gum, tobacco or “dip”
- Newspapers are not allowed in the courtroom
- Go to the podium when your case is called
- Address judges as “your honor”
- Do not approach the judge’s bench without permission
- Speak only when directed or given permission to do so
- Do not interrupt
- Do not argue, especially with the judge
- Be brief and to the point when answering questions
- Only answer the question asked and then stop speaking
- Do not use slang
Attire for Court Appearances
Adjudicating the law is a serious matter, and therefore the Simpsonville Municipal Court is a serious place of official business. All visitors must wear clean clothes that fit, including shirts and shoes. Hats are not to be worn in the courtroom.
Unacceptable Attire
- T-shirts, muscle shirts or tank tops
- Shirts that are too short or too tight, dirty or torn
- Clothing with offensive, racist, sexist, vulgar or obscene words, slogans, depictions or graphics
- Shorts, cut-off shorts or baggy pants
- Hats
- Skirts or dresses above the knee
- Clothing indicating gang affiliation or intended to provoke emotion, disrupt or distract
- Low-cut tops
A good rule of thumb is if you are unsure about whether your outfit is appropriate, then your attire is probably inappropriate.
Prohibited Items in the Courtroom
Food, beverages and any types of weapon are strictly prohibited from the Simpsonville Municipal Courtroom. The presiding judge may ask you to leave the courtroom if you possess any items that are disruptive or distracting. Leave prohibited items in your car or at home. The Court will not hold onto prohibited items.
