ABSTRACT

The structures, functions, and procedures of our federal and state judicial systems  can be confusing, complex, and even intimidating to the layperson, but journalists  must be familiar with the basics as well as some of the intricacies. Today, most major  news media outlets devote a  substantial amount of  coverage  to  judicial decisions  and proceedings. These include civil and criminal trials, criminal pretrial proceedings, and, frequently, appellate court rulings. Some of this increased coverage can be  traced to a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions favoring greater access of the public and the press to the judicial process. Most states now provide for routine access  of video, film, and still cameras to criminal and, in some cases, civil trials, although  such access has become more difficult since 9/11. Cameras continue to be prohibited  in most federal courts. Every state permits cameras in at least some courtrooms, but  a dozen states impose bans in criminal cases.1