Opening the court doors online (as well as on TV)

jtownend — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:40:04 +0000

It is expected that today’s Queen’s Speech will contain the government’s plans for allowing cameras in court – albeit it limited to summing up and sentencing in selected courts [update: it does].

But what about opening up justice online? The new issue of the Internet Newsletter for Lawyers features my article summing up the ‘Open Justice in the Digital Era’ project at the Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism, and the forthcoming ‘Justice Wide Open’ working papers. Appropriately, as of this month, access to the journal is free online [print subscription details here].

I argue that our project raises important questions to be teased out and properly considered by legal authorities and government, in consultation with the public, researchers and the media. In that sense, our project is a call for debate as well as action.

Read the article in full here.

Opinion: Legal and ethical issues for televising and tweeting court - Judith Townend

jtownend — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:34:28 +0000

Reblogged from Inforrm's Blog:

"In the back bedroom the duvet was half off the bed and neatly folded clothing on the bed, a bathrobe on the floor too #spy #spook", @JonClementsITV, crime correspondent, ITV News

Tweeting

We are long used to abridged sensitive or traumatic information in broadcast soundbites and scrolling news tickers, but court tweeting is still in its infancy as a medium, and can feel more intimate and immediate.

Media law and ethics » cameras in court

Opening the court doors online (as well as on TV)

Opinion: Legal and ethical issues for televising and tweeting court - Judith Townend