Cameras in courts

The Utah Supreme Court on Monday approved a rule that will allow journalists to tweet, live stream and blog from the courtroom for the first time in the state's history.

The rule, which goes into effect April 1, permits the media to use laptops, cell phones and cameras in court and makes Utah’s notoriously restrictive courtrooms some of the most accessible.

OpenCourt, a Massachusetts courtroom transparency program can begin streaming video of jury trials at a local district court, a judge from the state’s highest court ruled on Tuesday.

The Utah Judicial Council unanimously approved measures on Monday that moves video coverage of civil and criminal trial proceedings one step closer to reality. If the changes to state court procedures are adopted, Utah would be propelled from one of the most restrictive states to one of the most open and accessible, in terms of electronic coverage of state courts.

A proposed addition to the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration that would give trial judges the authority to limit the use of cell phones and other electronic devices in courtrooms was submitted to the state's high court this week for approval.

If enacted, judges would have the discretion to ban cell phone use by jurors, journalists and members of the public attending court proceedings.

Many news media organizations developed unprecedented methods to provide real-time coverage of this week’s historic arguments in the federal health care reform law cases, despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of requests for camera coverage of the proceedings.

Journalists will soon be able to use laptop computers and other mobile electronic devices in Massachusetts courtrooms, after the state's highest court adopted a new rule designed to recognize changes in journalism and technology.

The rule also broadly defines "news media" and extends to any individual who gathers and disseminates information, whether in print or electronic format, about matters of public interest and concern to the public.

Video recordings of the contentious trial that struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriage will likely not be released to the public after all, following a federal appellate court’s reversal today of a lower court’s finding that there was no compelling reason for the tapes to remain sealed.

Cameras and recording devices will be allowed in some Illinois trials after the state’s high court earlier this week authorized extended media coverage on an experimental basis.

“Broadcasting, televising, recording and photographing” will be permitted in trial court sessions, according to the state Supreme Court’s Policy for Extended Media Coverage in the Circuit Courts of Illinois. The policy, effective immediately, was adopted Tuesday.