Jackson County, MO, court to confiscate and destroy cell phones

The court security folks in the Jackson County, Missouri courts have a new rule that you need to know about if you have a court date either in Independence or Kansas City.

If you take your cell phone to the courthouse with you, the security personnel will confiscate your phone AND DESTROY IT. Yup, that's right. The word from the sheriff's department folks is that you WILL NOT have your phone returned to you. If it is confiscated at the door of the courthouse, THEY WILL DESTROY IT along with all other banned or prohibited items.

The sheriff won't say when the rule comes into effect - but the boxes are at the security stations now. In fact, all you lawyers who don't have current Kansas City Missouri bar cards - your phones are getting confiscated and destroyed too.