Support Cameras and Live Coverage of Supreme Court Proceedings

Today I take pen in hand to urge you to support legislation that would bring cameras and live coverage to the United States Supreme Court. The Court remains an outlier among major judicial institutions worldwide, and this lack of transparency undermines public trust in our democracy's most powerful judicial body. The Supreme Court currently livestreams only audio of oral arguments, a practice adopted during COVID-19, but does not provide video coverage or any audio of decision announcements. This stands in stark contrast to apex courts in the United Kingdom, Canada, and South Africa's Constitutional Court, all of which provide full real-time video coverage of their proceedings. Even the International Court of Justice livestreams all public proceedings on YouTube, with the Iran v. United States case in 2018 drawing over one million views. The argument that cameras would compromise judicial integrity does not hold up to international scrutiny. India's Supreme Court ruled in Tripathi v. Supreme Court of India in 2018 that cases of constitutional importance should be broadcast publicly and now prioritizes livestreaming Constitution Bench proceedings. Norway's Supreme Court began livestreaming in 2023 when privacy permits. Australia's High Court posts recordings within one week. These courts have maintained their dignity and independence while dramatically improving public access. A 2011-2015 federal judiciary pilot program in fourteen courts found that over 70 percent of participating judges and attorneys favored recording civil proceedings. The concerns about cameras disrupting proceedings have proven largely unfounded in practice across multiple jurisdictions. The Supreme Court makes decisions that affect every American's life, from healthcare to voting rights to reproductive freedom. Citizens deserve to see their highest court in action, not just read transcripts weeks later. I urge you to champion legislation requiring video coverage of Supreme Court proceedings, following the successful model of their international counterparts. Thank you.

First sent on January 17 by Mark