Cameras Coming To Some Indiana Courtrooms

Monday, January 30, 2012 at 6:29 AM

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - Cameras will start to be used again in some Indiana courtrooms in the northwest part of the state.

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard announced the pilot program for Lake County courts on Friday. Three judges agreed to allow their courts to participate in the program.

“This project allows direct access to trial court proceedings over the Internet. Citizens will be able to see for themselves what happens in a courtroom as disputes are resolved,” Shepard said.

The three courts will have cameras with the proceedings able to be viewed on the website of the Times of Northwest Indiana website and on a three-hour delay.

Only civil courts will be aired as no criminal court judges agreed to take part in the program.

Hoosier State Press Association Executive Director Steve Key complimented the Court on allowing access.

“We appreciate the Supreme Court approving this project, which we hope will show that technology now can allow the public to view the action of a real court without negatively impacting the dispensing of justice. If the evaluation is successful, it might open the door to a real understanding of how a courtroom operates as opposed to a perception created by television crime dramas,” Key said.