Cameras in the Courtrooms
On Tuesday, January 24, the Illinois Supreme Court announced (.pdf) approval of a pilot program to allow cameras in court rooms in Illinois. Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy Evans is enthusiastic about the idea and plans to petition for inclusion in the program. Judge Evans said he has “no doubt” that the program will be a “big plus” for the courts and citizens because justice is served when the public has a clear view of how the courts work. Chief Justice Kilbride of the Illinois Supreme Court expressed a similar opinion, stating the move will “. . . bring more transparency and more accountability to the Illinois court system”.
Prosecutors in DuPage and Cook Counties, as well as Cook County Public Defenders, have expressed reservations. Cameras will not be allowed in sensitive proceedings, such as custody, adoption, divorce and juvenile hearings, and judges will have the final word in whether or not a hearing or trial may be filmed.
The Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice supports public oversight of the judiciary with its research on behalf of the Judicial Performance Commission. Appleseed also routinely places court-watchers in courtrooms to assess their functioning. According to a Minnesota CourtWatch report (.pdf), when the public routinely view court proceedings it promotes a higher quality of work among judges, attorneys and other courtroom personnel. When public viewing of proceedings becomes routine, court-watchers report that everyone appears to be treated with greater respect than in courtrooms which operate without public scrutiny.
The Supreme Court’s move toward making the judiciary open, accessible and transparent is good for everyone. Confidence in the courts is necessary for efficacy in the judicial system because the rule of law does not function without the trust of ordinary citizens.