Federal courts rule out broadcast of closing arguments in California same-sex marriage trial

A federal court will not include California’s same-sex marriage trial in its pilot program to broadcast civil proceedings contrary to recent media reports. -db

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
March 9, 2010
By Curry Andrews
A federal court in San Francisco announced on Friday that it is not planning to broadcast closing arguments in the trial [...]

Prop. 8 trial could still find the airwaves

San Francisco Bay Area federal judges are again floating a plan to allow cameras in federal courtrooms just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court, in a rare intervention, rejected a similar plan. If approved this time, it is possible that the final arguments in the Prop. 8 could be telecast. -db
The San Francisco Chronicle
February 26, [...]

Supreme Court scuttles plan for televising Prop 8 trial

In another 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that given the notoriety of the same-sex marriage trial and that the public had insufficient time to comment on the decision to televise the trial, there would be no live telecasts or delayed broadcasts on YouTube. The Court did not rule on whether any federal trial [...]

Prop 8 hearing: Strict enforcement of laws against assault needed rather than curtailing TV coverage

A Citizen Media Law Project blogger argues that the Supreme Court should recognize that it is against California law to assault witnesses and that not televising the proceedings will not protect witnesses in what promises to be a widely publicized event. To allow the broadcast on YouTube would provide a boost to freedom of the [...]

Federal judge for same-sex marriage trial approves taping but limits live broadcast

Chief Judge Vaugh Walker ruled that court personnel can tape the proceedings of the federal challenge to Prop 8, California’s ban on same-sex marriage, but maintained control by not allowing live broadcast except to federal courthouses in cities in other states. -DB
The Recorder
January 7, 2010
By Dan Levine

SAN FRANCISCO — Chief Judge Vaughn Walker made it [...]

Prop. 8 proponents object to TV for hearing in federal court

Sponsors of Prop. 8 the ballot measure that banned same-sex in California say that television coverage of the court trial in San Francisco in January would result in harassment and intimidation of witnesses and other participants. -DB

San Francisco Chronicle
December 30, 2009
By Bob Egelko

SAN FRANCISCO — Sponsors of California’s ban on same-sex marriage, which faces a federal [...]

Federal court approves television cameras in time for Prop 8 hearing

The Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit approved television cameras for certain district court hearings, civil proceedings with no juries. Before now the court had only allowed cameras to televise appellate arguments. -DB

Cal Law
December 18, 2009
By Dan Levine
SAN FRANCISCO — The Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit authorized television cameras in certain district court proceedings Thursday, [...]

Opinion: Imperial Valley Board of Supervisors violated spirit of California’s open government law

While finding that the county supervisors covered themselves sufficiently on the Brown Act, the Imperial Valley Press argues that they failed to honor the spirit of the Brown Act by not fully informing the public that it was their intention to intervene in a federal case involving Prop 8 making same-sex marriage illegal in California. -DB

Imperial [...]

Imperial County Board of Supervisors under scrutiny for possible open government violation

The American Civil Liberties Union is looking into an allegation that the Imperial County Board of Supervisors violated California’s Brown Act in a closed session December 15 when it voted to intervene in a federal case involving Prop 8, the state proposition making same-sex marriage illegal. -DB

Imperial Valley Press
December 18, 2009
By Elizabeth Variner

Did the Imperial County [...]

No cameras…yet for Prop 8 court challenge

The Northern District chief judge said there would be no TV cameras allowed into court for the federal challenge to Prop 8, but that under a Ninth Circuit governing council is considering a pilot program to allow them. -DB

Legal Pad
A Cal Law Blog
December 16, 2009
By Dan Levine

As of today, cameras will not be permitted to [...]

Federal judge orders Prop. 8 backers to cough up campaign strategy documents without delay

Backers of proposition 8 were hoping to delay turning over campaign records while appealing  a court order to surrender the documents. But a district federal judge ordered them to relinquish the documents so that Prop. 8 opponents could examine them for anti gay bias. -DB

San Francisco Chronicle

October 26, 2009
Bob Egelko
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge said [...]

Prop 8 Supreme Court hearing is best evidence yet for allowing cameras into the courtroom

By Peter Scheer
The California Supreme Court’s hearing yesterday in the Prop 8 case–broadcast live over the internet via streaming video–erased any doubt about the wisdom of allowing cameras into the nation’s courts.
Let’s hope US Supreme Court Justices David Souter, Stephen Breyer, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas were watching the oral arguments on [...]