« Law - "Va. Bar Could Reverse Limits On Firms Hiring Legislators" | Main | Ind. Courts - More on: Former City of Greenwood court manager pleads guilty »

Friday, February 16, 2007

Ind. Courts - Cameras in trial courtrooms pilot hits snag

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette has this editorial today:

When the Indiana Supreme Court started a pilot program last spring to test the influence of cameras in Indiana courtrooms, the goal was to film enough court sessions to come to some conclusion.

Great idea, but it hasn’t worked out that way.

Since then just five hearings have been filmed statewide in the courtrooms of judges who had agreed to be part of the pilot, the last on Aug. 25.

It’s not the judges who don’t want cameras. Rather, defense attorneys are using their veto authority under the rules of the program to reject cameras because they don’t want their clients turning up on TV.

The editorial reports that: "Attorneys for media groups have asked the court to change the pilot plan, which now allows either party or the judge to reject cameras, and instead allow judges alone to make the call. The justices should grant the request."

More from the editorial:

Allen Superior Judge Nancy Eshcoff Boyer, who presides in civil cases, is one of the eight judges around the state taking part in the pilot program. Since the project began, Boyer has asked all parties that come to her courtroom to sign release forms to allow media cameras, and 90 percent refuse.

Media cameras filmed in her courtroom for the first time during a summary judgment hearing in July, which went well, but she said she has had no requests and virtually no interest from the media to film in her courtroom since then.

Micki Wilson, executive director of the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, said trial attorneys welcome scrutiny, but they’re wary of the circus atmosphere that sometimes accompanies TV cameras. “Justice is not entertainment,” she said. “It’s about peoples’ lives, and that makes us cautious.”

The Supreme Court can’t be expected to make a thoughtful decision about cameras without more data. For that to happen, the court must trust judges to balance the rights of defendants and parties to civil suits with the need to cast as much light as possible on the judicial process.

Here is a list of earlier ILB entries pertaining to cameras in courtrooms.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 16, 2007 09:07 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts