Grassley, Schumer Promote Greater Public Access to Federal Courtrooms

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, and Sen. Charles Schumer, of New York, today introduced legislation to allow federal trial and appellate judges to permit cameras in the courtroom.

“The best way to maintain confidence and a better understanding of the judicial system is to let the sun shine in by opening up the courtroom to public scrutiny through broadcasting,” Grassley said. “Increased public awareness will bring greater accountability and help judges do a better job. Our bill is based on a well-founded confidence that it represents sound public policy."

"Thanks to C-SPAN, the American people are now more educated than ever on the workings of their elected representatives. This legislation could do for the courts what C-SPAN has done for Congress," said Schumer. "The federal courts can only gain in dignity and respect if we give the public easy access to their proceedings."

The bipartisan “Sunshine in the Courtroom” bill would allow federal trial and appellate judges, at their sole discretion, to permit cameras in their courtrooms. The bill would also direct the Judicial Conference, the principal policy-making entity for the federal courts, to draft nonbinding guidelines that judges can refer to in making a decision pertaining to the coverage of a particular case.

Forty-eight states currently permit some form of audio-video coverage in their courtrooms and at least 37 directly televise trials. Studies and surveys conducted in many of those states have confirmed that electronic media coverage of trials boosts public understanding of the court system without interfering with court proceedings. Fifteen states have conducted studies aimed specifically at the educational benefits that are derived from camera access to courtrooms. They all determined that camera coverage contributes to greater public understanding of the judicial system.

In order to provide a mechanism for Congress to study the effects of this legislation on our judiciary before making this change permanent, a three-year sunset provision is included in the bill.

The Sunshine in the Courtroom bill does not require a federal judge in a federal court to allow camera access to judicial proceedings. The bill gives federal judges the discretion to allow cameras or other electronic media access if they see fit. The bill also protects the privacy and safety of non-party witnesses by giving them the right to have their faces and voices obscured.

“Iowa has allowed cameras in the state courts for more than 20 years. It’s enhanced a better understanding and appreciation for the judicial system by Iowa taxpayers. Allowing cameras into federal courtrooms would bring the federal judiciary in the 21st century, ” Grassley said.