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America's top courts may have to prove how truly dull they are by law

US congresscriters propose web vid streaming, Judge Judy it ain't

Four members of the US Congress will unveil a law bill on Thursday that would ensure hearings in the nation's highest courts are streamed online.

Dubbed the Eyes on the Courts Act [PDF], the bill asks that both the US Supreme Court and Circuit Courts of Appeal allow their proceedings to be recorded and shown online.

The bill is sponsored by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and will be formally unveiled Thursday at an event in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington, DC.

According to The Hill, the bill is being co-sponsored by Representatives Mike Quigley (D-Ill), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Ted Poe (R-TX), all of whom are set to appear at the Thursday event in support of the bill.

The act asks the courts to, by default, allow cameras to record court proceedings and stream them online. The bill would grant judges the authority to close off the courtroom in cases where streaming the hearing could interfere with the case or impact the outcome.

If the bill passes, it would be the first time proceedings in the Supreme Court would be streamed to the public. Currently, the Supreme Court does not allow cameras to record proceedings. Judges deliver their decisions and remarks on cases by the release of written decisions and dissenting opinions.

Cameras are also prohibited in Federal Courts for criminal trials, though a pilot program recently allowed limited access for civil trials.

Both Poe and Nadler are members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet. Poe led the charge on a similar bill in 2009 but was unable to get the bill up for a vote. ®

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