Sunday, March 20, 2011

Florida Supremes Destroy right to record proceedings

The Florida Supreme Court has destroyed the right of observers to record proceedings in the state's courts.  The comment period has expired on new Rule of Judicial Administration 2.451, and the rule will soon become law, violating first amendment rights to capture the proceedings on audio or video.  The Supremes give trial judges full discretion to allow or disallow recordings.  Guess what?  They will never allow them in any meaningful way.

Well, you can still order the Court Smart recordings the courts make, you can still insist that the judge turn up the volume on the speakers so you can hear the proceedings, and you can still take a friend with a photographic memory into the proceedings and debrief the friend.afterward.

Oh, sure, the Legislature can override this rule by a 2/3 majority.  You know that will NEVER happen.

Well, I guess it doesn't matter.  Generally people don't care what happens in court unless it affects them personally.  Then they care, BIG TIME.

Right, Citizens, keep sleeping at the wheel.  When you crash, and you will crash, you'll wake up behind bars with NO liberties left..

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Bob Hurt        My Blog
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