1989-03-24 Comments of Star Tribune.pdf - Minnesota Judicial Branch

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I. INTRODUCTION
FINAL STATISTICAL REPORT
CAMERAS IN THE COURTROOM IN NEVADA
established
courtroom.
In April of 1980, the Supreme Court of Nevada
an experimental rule governing cameras in the
The rule is referred to as ADKT 26 - Standards of
Conduct and Technology Governing Electronic Media and Still Photo
Coverage
in effect
of Judicial
for a
Proceedings (See
one-year period:
Attachment
April 1980
A).
to
It has been
April 1981.
A set of questionnaires was developed to evaluate the
rule’s effectiveness (See Attachments B, C, D, and E). The
recommendations of the Commission were decided upon at its final
meeting,
from the
respectfully
1981.
held May 1, 1981 (See Attachment J). This final
Advisory Commission on Cameras in the Courtroom
submitted to the Nevada Supreme Court on
report
is to
May 7,
II. METHODOLOGY
Evaluation questionnaires were sent to every court in
Nevada. Courts were instructed to return forms after every
proceeding that involved photographic or radio coverage. Four
groups were surveyed: judges, attorneys, media representatives
and witnesses. Twenty-five judges, 17 attorneys, 27 media
representatives
and 31 witnesses responded. In addition to
evaluation forms, reports were received from the Second and
Eighth Judicial Districts, the Washoe district attorney and the
Reno Evening Gazette (See Attachments F, G, H and I).
III. SUMMARY OF RESULTS
Result A. The majority of judges and attorneys surveyed support
the experimental rule.
As a group, judges are the most supportive of the rule,
with 75 percent completely in favor and 11 percent slightly in
favor.
slightly
Seventy
favor
percent
the rule
of the
(IV Results,
attorneys
Section
completely
A. Table
favor
1).
or
Result B: Witnesses are least likely of the groups surveyed, to
support the experimental rule.
Twenty-six percent of the witnesses have no opinion on
allowing media coverage and 45 percent are slightly or completely
opposed to media coverage (IV Results, Section A, Table 1).
Result C:
understand.
According to the media, the rule is fair and easy to
One-hundred percent of the media said the rule was verv
or extremely fair. Eighty-six percent said the steps to obtain
permission were extremely or very easy to understand (Results IV,
Section D, Tables 1 and 2).