NCJ Number
138897
Journal
Trial Volume: 28 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1992) Pages: 56-57
Date Published
1992
Length
2 pages
Annotation
An overview of State laws that pertain to television coverage of court proceedings is accompanied by a chart that shows the status of such coverage in all the States.
Abstract
States that permit television, radio, and photographic coverage of courtroom proceedings, whether on a permanent or an experimental basis, have adopted rules or guidelines to govern the coverage. The consent of the presiding judge is required in almost all States, and the judge has discretion to control the coverage during the proceedings. Many States require advance written application for permission. Coverage is prohibited in nearly all States in cases that involve juveniles, and most States prohibit coverage of cases that involve sex-crime victims. Coverage is also usually prohibited in domestic relations cases and trials that involve trade secrets. Coverage of voir dire is generally prohibited, and coverage of jurors is either prohibited or restricted to prevent their visual identification. Some States prohibit coverage of witnesses who appear under subpoena, and many States do not allow television coverage of victims or witnesses who object to being televised. All States ban coverage of court conferences. The chart provided shows States with permanent rules, those with experimental rules, and those without television in the courts. The analysis addresses the dates when experimental and permanent coverage was instituted for each State and the various courts where such coverage is allowed.