Live-Streaming Justice in Quincy--OpenCourt Opens for Business

Image via WikipediaBuoyed by a "Knight News Challenge" $250,000 grant won from the James L. Knight Foundation, Boston public radio station WBUR-FM is overseeing the OpenCourt experimental project that began this week at Quincy District Court with the live-streaming of judicial proceedings.

According to accounts by the websites, Above the Law and Govtech.com, heretofore unwelcome bloggers, Tweeters, Facebookers, and other social media types equipped with iPads, smartphones and laptops are going to find a little love in the district trial court.  Judge Mark S. Coven retains discretion to shut off the live stream broadcast for certain proceedings, such as sexual assault hearings, to spare the victim embarrassment, and "dead spots" are built in to allow for attorneys and their clients to confer without sacrificing the privileged nature of their tete-a-tete.

There will be no mistaking the court goings-on for a sporting event as live commenting is not permitted during live streaming of video.  Transparency in judicial proceedings is the underlying goal of the open arms approach to social media.