summary
Introduced
In Committee
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
112th Congress
Bill Summary
Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2011 - Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court (including the Supreme Court) or U.S. district court to permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising to the public of court proceedings over which that judge presides, except when such action would constitute a violation of the due process rights of any party. Directs: (1) a district court, upon the request of any witness in a trial proceeding other than a party, to order the face and voice of the witness to be disguised or otherwise obscured to render the witness unrecognizable to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding; and (2) the presiding judge in a trial proceeding to inform each witness who is not a party of the right to make such request. Authorizes the Judicial Conference to promulgate mandatory guidelines with respect to the management and administration of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising described in this Act.
AI Summary
This bill, known as the Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2011, would allow judges in federal appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, and U.S. district courts to permit media coverage, such as photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising, of court proceedings, provided it does not violate a party's due process rights. For witnesses who are not parties to a trial, the bill mandates that their faces and voices be obscured upon request to protect their anonymity from the broadcast audience, and presiding judges must inform witnesses of this right. The Judicial Conference of the United States would be authorized to create mandatory guidelines for managing this media coverage.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (4)
Last Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law. (on 08/25/2011)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location | Created |
|---|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/2802/all-info | 04/25/2013 |
| BillText | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr2802ih/pdf/BILLS-112hr2802ih.pdf | 04/26/2013 |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr2802ih/pdf/BILLS-112hr2802ih.pdf.pdf | 02/01/2013 |
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