Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Committee created on the Impact of Wireless Mobile Technologies and Social Media on Court Proceedings

Colleagues,

The Arizona Supreme Court has created a Committee on the Impact of Wireless Mobile Technologies and Social Media on Court Proceedings.

Among the issues the Committee will be considering are a few of interest to the media: (1) providing direction to court employees on the use of wireless mobile technology by the media and others attending court proceedings; and (2) providing direction to judges, court security officers and personnel on the possession and use by court attendees of technology “that is capable of taking photos and electronically recording videos.”

The committee is composed of judges and attorneys.  There are two people representing the Media/Public. One is a web manager and the other is one of the top First Amendment attorneys in the country, David Bodney.  David has asked me and other Arizona editors affiliated with Arizona’s First Amendment coalition to help advise him.

This is the first time I have become aware of concerns about social media, specifically cellphone use in our courtrooms.  David told me these issues have arisen elsewhere in recent years, and one of the national groups – the Media Law Resource Center (based in New York) – has developed a model policy and brief on the subject. David shared the model policy (with MLRC's permission) with Arizona Justice Brutinel.   I will forward a copy of the model when I receive permission to share it with the group.

Are any of you involved in similar discussions with your judiciary and if so do you have any strategies we might employ to help us persuade this Committee, and others, to allow maximum wireless technology in our courts?

Please contact me if this is going on in your state.

Teri Hayt
Managing Editor
Arizona Daily Star

From Mark Hinueber, Stephens Media LLC, Las Vegas, NV: I served on the Nevada Supreme Court committee which adopted new rules here.  Click to view the new Nevada rules.

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