Notice Courtroom Technology Requirements HDMI Standard for Presentation of Electronic Media in New Jersey State Court Proceedings

Every day, in courtrooms throughout New Jersey and the nation, attorneys and self-represented court users bring electronic or digital media for presentation in court proceedings.  Such digital content may include video or audio recordings that cannot be replicated in a paper format, as well as electronic versions of photos or documents.  To support the trier of fact in considering all relevant information, and following consideration of public comment, the Supreme Court has approved HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) as the state court standard to allow the presentation of such digital content in a consistent, effective, and impartial manner.

• HDMI Standard. An attorney, self-represented court user, or other participant in a court proceeding should prepare to present any digital content with the use of a device that can plug into an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connection.
  • HDMI is an audio/video interface for transmitting uncompressed video data and compressed or uncompressed digital audio data from a compliant source device, such as a laptop or smartphone.
  • While some smartphones, laptops, and tablets are compatible with an HDMI adapter, others are not. Therefore, as part of preparing for the court event, the party seeking to present digital content should check and confirm that their device is HDMI-compatible and, if it is not, should obtain and bring an appropriate HDMI adapter. Court users should not expect that the court will provide an adapter to enable the presentation of digital content.
• Non-Electronic Alternatives. To the extent feasible, attorneys and self-represented court users should be prepared to present media in a non-electronic format, e.g., by showing a printed copy of a document or photograph.  
• No Change to Electronic Evidence System. For applicable docket types, electronic evidence should continue to be submitted to the Judiciary’s Electronic Evidence Submission system. Further information is available on the NJ Courts website.
• New Form for Requests for Assistance. An attorney or self-represented court user who anticipates potential technical challenges or has questions about the process for presenting digital media in an upcoming proceeding can contact the Vicinage and request help using an online form available at this link.
• Ongoing Availability of Courthouse Technology Rooms. As always, the Judiciary will make reasonable efforts to support attorneys and self-represented court users in presenting digital media in court proceedings, including through use of existing courthouse technology rooms. (For more information about technology rooms in each Vicinage, see the NJ Courts website.)

The establishment of HDMI as the standard for presentation of digital media in state court proceedings is intended to provide transparency and consistency so that all court users can be prepared to readily show and share information. Further, this approach should avoid delays in proceedings and the potential perception of a lack of impartiality on the part of the court that could arise from situations in which court technical staff are called on to provide individualized assistance to a participant in a court proceeding.

As needed, the court will continue to help attorneys and to self-represented court users, including with technology presentations.