The South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commiss
ion this week banned all wireless communication devices, including cellphones, laptop computers, cameras and even s
mart watches, from the Commission’s courtroom.
The bulletin, issued Jan. 12, said the order does not apply to staff, lawyers, court reporters, law enforceme
nt, and interpreters. The presiding commissioner in the courtroom may allow the electronic devices during proceedings as lon
g as no recordings or photographs are made and the devices are set to silent mode.
If security officers in the courtroom find unauthorized electronic de
vices in court or adjacent areas, the persons will be advised to return the d
evices to their homes or vehicles, or to place the item in a “Faraday pouch”— a meta
l-lined bag that blocks wireless signals, the order notes.
“We appreciate your cooperation as we implement this enhanced sec
urity measure to safeguard the privacy and integrity of our hearings,” reads a m
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emo from the Commission’s executive director, Kristen McRee.
The bulletin did not explain what may have prompted the order but Mc
Ree told Insurance Journal that the commissioners have seen a few recent incidents in which people were improperly recordin
g proceedings. The concern is that those recordings are not official, as a court reporter’s recordings are, and could be manipulated and distributed.
In some states, the use of cellphones has caused disruption in cou
rtrooms and remote proceedings, and a few lawyers have been accused o
f coaching witnesses through text messages. In Florida, the state
Supreme Court in 2021 disciplined a workers’ compensation defense a
ttorney after it was shown that he was texting a claims adjuster witness during a remote, internet-based hearing.
The South Carolina commission conducts some appeals remotely,
but the recent order does not appear to apply to remote proceedings.