Courtroom sketch

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A courtroom sketch is an artistic depiction of the proceedings in a court of law. Many court cases in North America do not allow cameras into the courtroom, especially those where the case is high-profile and the presence of the media presents a distraction for the court. However, a sketch artist is typically permitted to be present during even the most sensationalistic proceedings. Working with pencils, pastels, or other sketch-friendly materials, the artist can quickly capture a moment and then sell their work to media outlets who would otherwise be denied a visual record of the trial.

Former Judge Dyer of the 5th Circuit once wrote about how sketch pads were less obtrusive than cameras, which are not allowed in federal district courts, "Sketching requires only a writing instrument and a sketch pad, and can be done quite unobtrusively, or even... from memory completely outside the courthouse."

It is specifically prohibited in the courts of Hong Kong.^[1]