Page 49 - CLT102620

CLOSING ARGUMENT OCTOBER 26, 2020 ¦ 49

EDITORIAL BOARD

Trial Docket where the thorni- means there is no way for the
est custody cases are tried; press to cover a matter without
complex litigation; and other pre-alerting the judicial branch.
less enviable but most impor- The public has theoretical access
tant assignments in juvenile to the open courthouses. How-
and family courts. On a call ever, beyond level one matters
with bar leaders, the judicial Connecticut’s current they will not be able to see and
administration praised JTRs administration must observe proceedings. If the judi-
who are working without com- address the constitutional cial branch has devised a system

pensation. This cheapens the rights of defendants to a of access for the public to all
entire judiciary and is a cynical speedy trial. court proceedings, in person or
approach to judicial adminis- virtual, it is not apparent on its
tration. website.
Seven months since this No member of the public
pandemic began, this adminis- who wants to visit court will be
tration is no closer to providing able to navigate their way to en-
leadership regarding the future joy that constitutional right. We
of the criminal jury trial than it was on day one. are well advised that there are significant con-
It must address the constitutional rights of defen- cerns about live-streaming all court proceedings
dants to a speedy trial. The COVID-19 Federal on the judicial branch’s Youtube channel, where
Judicial Task Force published a guide on June 4, litigants would lose their practical anonymity,
entitled “Conducting Jury Trials and Convening exposing their conflict to those who should be
Grand Juris During the Pandemic”. That was four sheltered from it (with particularity, tech savvy
months ago. There has been no public statement children, or their classmates of divorcing par-
from our state court system that would provide ents). Several states live-stream all of their court
similar guidance. hearings. This administration must make clear
An examination of the judicial branch website to the public its plan to ensure the public’s access
discloses little information on public access to to the courts. Perhaps they have, but the solution
virtual proceedings. Regarding criminal matters, is nowhere to be found online. This should be
the press can have a single pooled reporter, which remedied immediately.
¦

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