Federal Appeals Court Will Televise Civil Trials

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The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has given the go-ahead to an experiment that will allow the broadcasting of certain civil trials within the circuit's 15 district courts.

The unanimous vote by the circuit's Judicial Council will permit cameras in non-jury civil trials only. The chief district court judge will consult with the circuit's chief judge in choosing which civil matters will be included in the experiment.

Included in the Ninth Circuit are California, Alaska, Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Arizona, Montana, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Guam, and the ever-popular Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth. Since 1991, the 9th Circuit has allowed video and audio recordings of oral arguments in about 200 cases, which are available on the Court's Web site http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/media.