Lawmakers Mull Possible Mandate That US Supreme Court Televise Arguments
A subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee is pondering a possible law to require the nation’s top court to televise its oral arguments.
But despite the Cameras in the Courtroom Act introduced yesterday by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, critics doubt that the U.S. Constitution empowers one branch of federal government to tell the other what to do, Reuters reports.
Proponents say televising oral arguments would help citizens inform themselves about important issues. Those who oppose such a law, however, argue that it promotes “grandstanding” and other negative behavior by those in the courtroom.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Will Justices’ Fear of Sound Bite Preclude TV Coverage of 5-Hour Oral Argument in Health Care Case?”
ABAJournal.com: “Should SCOTUS Arguments Be Televised? If They Were, Would You Watch?”
