StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
In the paper “The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms” the author looks at a total ban on cameras in courtrooms. On the 27th of September 1937, the American Bar Association adopted a resolution that imposed a ban on the broadcasting of courtroom trials…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.8% of users find it useful
The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms"

As Hernandez (1996) reports, proponents of the practice maintain that the televising of courtroom proceedings does not just give the public access to the workings of their judicial system but allows them to oversee the government, as it is their right to do. Opponents, however, quite rightly maintain that the practice, however, conflicts with both the defendant's right to privacy and his/her expectations of a fair trial (Hernandez, 1996). The argument in favor of cameras in courtrooms is predicated on the Constitution, the First Amendment, and the theoretical function of the media as a watchdog.

Both the Freedom of Information Act and the First Amendment clearly explicate the public's right to know, implying, as N. Hentoff (2000) argues, the constitutionality of live coverage of court trials. According to this perspective, the constitutionality of cameras in the courtrooms stems from the fact that the U.S. constitutional and legal frameworks emphasize, not just the importance of transparency but the necessity of it, as a strategy for allowing the public, through the media, to oversee the workings of the government and to access whatever public information they may determine as relevant or valuable to them.

The argument in favor of cameras in the courtroom, however, is effectively undermined and negated by the fact that it is a violation of a defendant's right to privacy and a fair trial. Thompson (2004) maintains that the U.S. Constitution holds an accused to be innocent until such a time when he/she is proven guilty beyond any shadow of reasonable doubt. The implication here is that until such a time when he is proven guilty or innocent, the accused has a right to privacy. His/her privacy rights can only be constitutionally set aside when guilt is proven.

Furthermore, and as Thompson (2004) adds, defendants have a right to a fair trial and the transformation of courtrooms into media circuses invariably undermine objectivity and jeopardize access to this particular right (Thompson, 2004). In other words, cameras in courtrooms effectively lay the defendant open to judgment by the entirety of society, with media speculations on guilt and innocents often precluding, and sometimes influencing, a jury's deliberations and determinations (Thompson, 2004).

The ramifications of the aforementioned are intolerable insofar as the very notion of justice and the right to a fair trial are concerned. Quite simply stated, cameras in the courtroom severely limit, if they do not altogether undermine, the defendant's right to a fair trial.In the final analysis, one may safely assert that despite the Freedom of Information Act and irrespective of the media's status as a watchdog over official, including legal, proceedings, cameras should be banned from courtrooms.

Judge Harlan once proclaimed that cameras in courtrooms and the televising of trials may "disparage the judicial process" (Cohen and Dow, 2002, p. 3). He was right. Considering that few Americans, if any would want to resign their right to a fair trial, the televising of trials and court proceedings has to be banned.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms Essay, n.d.)
The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms Essay. https://studentshare.org/law/1502706-first-amendment-and-the-freedom-of-information-act
(The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms Essay)
The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms Essay. https://studentshare.org/law/1502706-first-amendment-and-the-freedom-of-information-act.
“The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms Essay”. https://studentshare.org/law/1502706-first-amendment-and-the-freedom-of-information-act.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Legality and Constitutionality of Cameras in Courtrooms

The Future of Cameras

Similar is the case with cameras.... At this time, other companies in this industry became aware of the benefits of this product lunch and started launching their own cameras, as such the competition increased.... Maturity Stage: In the maturity stage, the cameras have several competitions....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Courtroom proceedings

hellip; The types of cases that would be heard in the various courtrooms, as well as the appeals processes available per type of court are also discussed.... Final paper: Courtroom Student: Institution: Date: Final Paper: Courtroom There are several types of courts each with its unique purpose....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

Video cameras in police

As the availability of home video cameras came into use by the consumer, police departments began experimenting with using the technology in a official capacity within their police vehicles.... The use of video recording from the vehicle of a police officer has become a routine tool for recording the interaction between the officer and the public....
4 Pages (1000 words) Term Paper

Why Roe vs Wade was Correct or Incorrect Legally and Constitutionally

This paper provides arguments Wade's constitutionality with reference to the written constitution.... Wade case, the Supreme Court held that the Twelfth Amendment allows a woman to have an abortion; The Supreme Court decision in Roe v.... Wade was incorrect legally and constitutionally....
5 Pages (1250 words) Term Paper

Use of Body Cameras

Although ethical education can provide great resilience training to the police department, body cameras are an excellent tool to benefit police officers while on patrol and… The purpose of the body Camera is to use video imagery and audio for documenting evidence, train police officers on their sustainment and improvements, and prevent illegal use of force or pattern of misconduct. The use of body cameras is beneficial to the Body camera Maintenance of law and order is one of the paramount requirements for the well-being of a society....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Deception Detection in the Courtroom

These technologies have been subjected to debates as to whether they are effective or not.... Besides, there are arguments that the technologies should be applied in courts.... … The use of neuroimaging techniques in lie detection can be discussed in depth to figure out how the technology can be applied for the benefit of the society....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Using of Red Light Cameras in America - Pros and Cons

The present study “Using of Red Light cameras in America - Pros and Cons” concerns the idea to restore the traffic and the results of its implementation.... While it would seem that such a law would be blatantly unconstitutional, in that the vehicle owner really does not have a defense, because he cannot prove that he was not driving the car if the camera does not take a picture of the driver, lawsuits arguing the constitutionality of the practice has been unsuccessful....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

Deception Detection in the Courtroom

The paper "Deception Detection in the Courtroom" discusses that deception detection in courtrooms has created a heated debate particularly on the application of neuroscience in providing evidence in court.... Therefore, neuroimaging evidence should be allowed in courtrooms as a technique of deception detection.... There is a possibility of these technologies being used in courtrooms soon but this raises more concerns whether this would be an appropriate use of neuroimaging....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us