Cameras in Court Expanding the Public’s Interest in the Court Reporting Profession

Trials have appealed to the public as a means of entertainment for centuries.  With the introduction of cameras and newsreels in courtrooms as early as the 1920s, their entertainment value expanded well beyond the courtroom’s four walls, and into the general public’s newsstands and living rooms – and now, Smartphones, tablets and desktops. But the presence of cameras and the press has not always assured defendants of a fair trial.  In fact, in the mid-1930s, the American Bar Association led a drive to remove cameras from the courts subsequent to the murder/kidnapping trial of Richard Bruno Hauptmann, who was tried for the murder/kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby, found guilty, and executed, all while he and his wife insisted upon his innocence, and amid the chaos and focus of over 700 journalists. Judicial Canon 35 was a byproduct of that effort, and essentially prohibited photography in courts in all but two states. In 1952, Canon 35 was amended to include disallowance of television cameras, and then in 1962, after Billy Sol Estes went on trial for embezzlement, his conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court because the Court found that the defendant had been denied a fair trial due to pre-trial media coverage.

Twenty years later, in 1982, the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates voted to support “unobtrusive” television coverage in court, and usage continues to expand. Surprisingly, what television coverage has managed to do for the court reporting profession, with the ever-increasing broadcast and web-streaming of high-profile cases, is provide the public with a clear view of the court reporter.  In fact, as viewers begin to realize that court reporters are the unsung heroes of the judicial system — writing each and every word spoken, remaining focused every single second, and accurately reading back testimony — the public is taking note. More and more people want to know about the court reporting profession.  If you happen to be one of them, you’ll want to check out Rebecca Forman’s “Ask the Reporter,” article, and the Planet Depos’ blog, “Appreciating a Court Reporter’s Skill Sets.”