(TNS) \u2014 All courts in New York state will ban smart glasses starting later this month.<\/p>\n
Beginning on July 20, all eyewear or headwear that contains cameras, microphones or other recording technology will not be allowed inside any Unified Court System facilities, according to a memo from the Office of Court Administration.<\/p>\n
The ban applies to more than 1,240 state, county, city, town and village courts.<\/p>\n
Prescription glasses with recording capabilities will also not be allowed, the memo said.<\/p>\n
The ban is to prevent people from secretly recording court proceedings in violation of state law and court regulations, the memo stated.<\/p>\n
The ban will apply to everyone entering the buildings, including court staff and attorneys.<\/p>\n
If people wear the glasses into a court building, they will have to leave the glasses with uniformed court officers for safekeeping, the memo said.<\/p>\n
In Syracuse, signs announcing the ban were posted last week outside the Honorable James C. Torney III Criminal Courthouse.<\/p>\n
Other states have also banned smart glasses, including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Many states have rules that any recording technology cannot be used in courtrooms.<\/p>\n
Federal courts, which ban recording in courtrooms, have not announced a smart glasses ban.<\/p>\n