We in Michigan have already experienced live blogging from the courtroom of Kwame Kilpatrick's probation violation hearings. It was an opportunity for truly open justice, where any member of the public could follow what happened in that courtroom within moments of it happening.
But many judges see an inherent danger in allowing blogging or Tweeting from courtrooms. They are concerned that jurors may see this information online and become biased in the outcome of a case.
Afua Hirsch, a blogger for The Guardian asks the question, "Can live-blogs and Twitter take court reporting into the 21st century?" In it she weighs the pros and cons of open justice vs. jury contamination. She cites an interesting policy created by the Media Law Resource Center on the use of electronic devices in court. It's worth a look.
Posted by Samantha Meinke
