Rule 3.100.Proper Use of Court Chambers
Current through August 1, 2026 · Last verified September 12, 2026
Full Text of Rule 3.100
Plain-English Summary
Chambers are the judge's workspace, and the private entryway between chambers and the bench is part of it. Parties must not congregate there, use the facilities, or use that entryway. Under UTCR 1.110, party covers the litigant and the litigant's attorney, so the limit applies to both.
Two things lift the restriction. The first is court business: when business is being conducted, the space is in use for its purpose. The second is the court's permission. Outside those, the waiting, the conferring, and the walking through belong elsewhere in the building.
The rule does not define court business or itemize which facilities it means, and that vagueness is workable because the release valve is easy to reach. Ask. A judicial assistant can tell you whether the judge expects counsel in chambers, and a conference held in chambers is governed by its own rule, UTCR 3.110.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I wait in chambers between hearings?
No, not unless court business is being conducted or the court permits it. The rule tells parties not to congregate in the court's chambers.
Can I use the judge's private hallway to get to the courtroom?
Not without permission. The rule names the court's entryway between the chambers and the bench as off limits to parties on the same terms as chambers itself.
Does this apply to attorneys or just to clients?
Both. UTCR 1.110 defines a party as the litigant or the litigant's attorney, so counsel is subject to the restriction as much as the client is.
What counts as court business?
The rule does not define it. The safe reading is that the exception covers the reason the parties were brought into that space in the first place, and that anything else calls for the court's permission.
A conference held in chambers has its own rule in UTCR 3.110.
Can I use the facilities in chambers?
Not without the court's permission, absent court business. The rule refers to the facilities without listing them, so treat the whole of the chambers area as requiring an invitation.