The PTAB requires all attendees to maintain a professional appearance appropriate for appearing before a tribunal. Counsel appearing before a panel are required to wear formal business attire. Observers at a hearing are required to wear either formal business attire or business casual attire.
Business casual attire does not include jeans, t-shirts, tank tops, athletic shoes, sneakers, flip flops, or thong type sandals. Questions regarding dress code should be addressed to the hearings team prior to the date of the hearing.
Professional conduct and respect for general guidelines allow hearings to flow efficiently and promptly. The panel reserves the right to remove anyone who does not follow these guidelines. When the announcement is made before the start of the hearing, please adhere to the following guidelines:
- No personal recording devices are allowed in the hearing room.
- Please turn off cell phones and electronic devices, except those used for demonstratives at the counsel table. Use of electronic devices in the gallery is prohibited.
- No food or drink, except water, is permitted in the hearing rooms.
- Unless the judge permits, there will be no entries/exits from the hearing rooms. This minimizes interruptions and distractions.
- During the hearing, excessive talking or loud outbursts are prohibited. No one is to be heard except the judge or counsel presenting an argument to the panel.
- Improper hearing room behavior may result in removal or other sanctions.