Smart Glasses Will Be Banned in New York Courts Starting July 20

If you have jury duty, need to appear in court, or are handling legal paperwork in Central New York this summer, there's a new rule you'll want to know before walking through the courthouse doors.

Starting July 20, New York's Unified Court System will ban smart glasses and other wearable technology with recording capabilities from every courthouse across the state.

That means the new generation of glasses equipped with cameras, microphones, or recording technology won't be allowed inside court facilities, and that includes prescription smart glasses

What Does The Glasses Ban Mean for Central New York?

The new policy applies to every state, county, city, town, and village court in New York, including courthouses throughout Oneida, Herkimer, Madison, Lewis, and surrounding counties.

If you accidentally wear them to court, court officers will require you to check them before entering the building.

Why Is New York Banning Smart Glasses?

According to the Office of Court Administration, they want to prevent people from secretly recording court proceedings.

New York law already prohibits unauthorized recordings inside courtrooms, and officials say wearable technology has made it easier to record audio or video without others noticing.