Open Courts Archives - Page 6 of 7 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

11 Aug, 2015

Broadcasters, others comment on Rule 30 proposal

By Deborah Fisher|2015-08-18T07:12:56-05:00August 11, 2015|Categories: Open Courts|Tags: court coverage, courtroom access, courts, Jack McElroy, Rule 30, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, Tennessee Bar Association|0 Comments

Deborah Tate, director of the Administrative Office of the Courts, and Michele Wojciechowski, spokesperson for the AOC, address the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists in April about proposed changes to Rule 30, which governs media coverage in courtrooms. Moderated by WPLN's Blake Farmer, chapter president. Tennessee broadcasters and others have filed comments with the Tennessee Supreme Court on its proposed changes to Rule 30, which governs media coverage in courtrooms. The deadline to file comments is this Friday. The court so far has posted on its website 11 comments on the Rule 30 proposal submitted from organizations and individuals, including: Tennessee Association of Broadcasters WMC Action 5 [...]

3 Aug, 2015

TCOG urges Tennessee Supreme Court to allow journalists to use electronic tools in courtrooms

By Deborah Fisher|2015-08-18T07:15:09-05:00August 3, 2015|Categories: Open Courts, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: courtroom access, courts, Rule 30|0 Comments

PRESS RELEASE For immediate release Aug. 3, 2015 Contacts: Lucian T. Pera, vice president, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government (901) 524-5278, [email protected] Deborah Fisher, executive director, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government (615) 602-4080, [email protected] NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Coalition for Open Government has filed comments with the Tennessee Supreme Court, urging it to change its proposed revision of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 30 so that journalists can use electronic tools in courtrooms, while still allowing for regulation of video or audio recordings. Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 30 was adopted in 1996 to govern the use of cameras in the courtroom by media. In general, the rule spells out guidelines designed [...]

24 Jul, 2015

TBA urges change in proposed rules for media coverage in courtrooms

By Deborah Fisher|2015-08-18T07:16:32-05:00July 24, 2015|Categories: Open Courts|Tags: court coverage, courtroom access, John Williams, Lucian Pera, Rule 30, Tennessee Supreme Court|1 Comment

The Tennessee Bar Association applauded the Tennessee Supreme Court's initiative to update its rules on media coverage in courtrooms in comments filed Thursday, but suggested changes to the court's proposal regarding usage of electronic devices like laptops and smartphones. At issue are the court's proposed changes to Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 30, enacted in 1996, that govern the use of cameras in the courtroom by media. In general, the rule outlines guidelines designed to avoid disruption or distraction during courtroom proceedings while upholding the openness of Tennessee courts and providing media a process to request use of camera equipment in advance. In March, the Tennessee Supreme Court published proposed changes in [...]

12 Feb, 2015

TBI files can be secret even when entered as evidence, Criminal Appeals Court says

By Deborah Fisher|2018-11-09T08:21:53-06:00February 12, 2015|Categories: court records, crime records|Tags: Court of Criminal Appeals, court records, Herbert Moncier, Judge Timothy Easter, Knoxville News Sentinel, sealed court records, TBI|0 Comments

Last week, the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that Tennessee Bureau of Investigation files could remain confidential even when they are entered as evidence in a court trial. The case in which this came up involved the heinous murder of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23, who were kidnapped, raped and tortured in Knoxville in 2007. The guilty verdicts in the trial were put in question when the presiding judge, Richard Baumgartner, became subject to a TBI probe related to buying prescription drug painkillers from two felons. Defense attorneys sought new trials, and parts of the TBI investigation were entered into the judicial proceeding. The parents of the victims intervened, [...]

3 Feb, 2015

Judge seals evidence from Vanderbilt rape trial

By Deborah Fisher|2015-02-03T05:49:30-06:00February 3, 2015|Categories: court records|Tags: Judge Monte Watkins, protective order, Robb Harvey, sealed court records, The Tennessean, Vanderbilt rape case|0 Comments

The Tennessean reports that Judge Monte Watkins, in an unusual move, has sealed all evidence presented in the recent Vanderbilt rape trial of two former football players. An excerpt from the story: It is the third ruling in the case prohibiting increasingly more information from public disclosure. The newest order says it is "reasonable and appropriate" to seal all evidence that was presented during the 12-day trial. More than 75 exhibits — from text messages to clothing to computers — were presented during the trial, which was open to the public. Judge Monte Watkins signed the expanded order on Wednesday, one day after Brandon Vandenburg and Cory Batey, both 21, [...]