WASHINGTON – ‎As we celebrate National Sunshine Week and efforts promoting transparency in government, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to introduce bipartisan legislation to improve public access to the federal judiciary by granting judges the ability to allow cameras in federal courtrooms.  The Sunshine in the Courtroom Act permits media coverage of trial and appellate cases to improve public access to the federal judiciary’s processes and procedures while installing appropriate safeguards to protect the privacy of witnesses and jurors and ensuring the due process protections remain intact.


This bill grants the presiding judge in all federal courts, including the Supreme Court, the discretion to allow cameras in the courtroom while protecting the identities of witnesses and jurors when necessary or upon request. It also prohibits media coverage of private conversations between clients and counsel, between opposing attorneys, and between counsel and the presiding judge. The bill contains a three-year sunset provision, requiring Congress to evaluate how media access is impacting the judiciary.

 All 50 states currently allow some form of audio/video coverage of court proceedings under a variety of rules and conditions, however federal court rules vary by district. Many federal courts, including the Supreme Court, prohibit the use live media coverage.  Public scrutiny of federal court proceedings will produce greater accountability and transparency of the judiciary system.

 

The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

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