News cameras will soon be allowed in all Illinois courts, top judge says
Broadening a pilot program and making it permanent, the top judge in Illinois on Monday announced that news cameras will soon be allowed in trial courts throughout the state.
While the details are still being worked out in some counties, trial judges will have discretion to allow or deny cameras, and chief judges in each jurisdiction will have an additional veto power, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (sub. req.) reports.
“At every level of the judicial system, we do the people’s work, and the people have an interest in observing how the judicial process functions,” said Chief Justice Rita Garman said in a written statement provided to the legal newspaper.
“We are pleased with the success of the pilot project and with the great cooperation we have received from the media. It is time to make [extended media coverage] more widely available.”
The state began allowing news cameras in appellate courts in 1983. However, the pilot program in Illinois trial courts only started four years ago, the article notes.
