Cameras in the Crown Court?

Television cameras may be allowed to film in crown courts | Law | The Guardian

The government is risking a fresh row with the judiciary by raising the prospect that television cameras could be allowed to film within crown courts.

Senior judges are concerned that such a move could leave them vulnerable to heckling.

In a move towards greater transparency in the justice system, ministers hope that judges could be filmed delivering verdicts and sentences.

No 10 has indicated that allowing filming in the court of appeal is being seen as a first step. Broadcasters will be given the right to film counsel and judges in appeal cases.

Ministers hope to extend filming to crown court cases. But broadcasters would only be allowed to film the judge during the delivery of the verdict and during sentencing. Defendants, witnesses and counsel on both sides would not be filmed.

A No 10 source said: "This is an important step in opening up the court process. Allowing the public to watch justice in action will help build trust in our judicial system. Hearing why verdicts have been given and watching the sentencing process will add to public confidence in the courts."

Ministers may be on a collision course with the judiciary. Lord Judge, the outgoing lord chief justice, said in January that he supported the principle of allowing cameras into court, but he drew a line at the filming of sentencing.

In his last appearance before the House of Lords constitution committee, he said: "I'm perfectly happy with cameras coming into court, provided their presence doesn't increase the risk that justice won't be done. [But] I'm very troubled about having cameras just swanning around the court."

On sentencing, he added: "Not sentencing, I take a very strong view about sentencing."

Judge cited difficulties in New Zealand. "Everybody thought that if you fixed the camera on the judge then it would be all right, but of course people can demonstrate during the sentencing remarks, so there are cheers and boos. We have to be very careful how it works."

The lord chief justice said judges would be given training for televised court of appeal hearings. He told the committee: "We will arrange for those judges who sit in these courts to have some training … the general idea is that it will start in October in the two courts of appeal."

Channel 4 will broadcast a documentary on 9 July about a notorious Scottish murder trial which includes scenes filmed in the high court in Edinburgh.

My Opinion: 

Personally I believe that having cameras in the courts is not a bad thing due to the fact that it allows the public to see and understand why the judges make certain verdicts. Also I believe that the use of cameras when the judge is giving the verdict and the reason for his verdict will cause and force the judge to be even more neutral as there may be thousands of people watching his/her verdict. Furthermore it will benefit students just like me who study law as they will be able to see a case with ease instead of travelling to courts, which for some students can be difficult to attend. 

However with these benefits always comes disadvantages; firstly as said in the article, it will increase the likelihood of protesters and demonstrators interrupting court cases as they know that they will have a much larger audience to get their point heard. I also believe that if we do start to televise court cases will we loose the amount of people who go to court cases as the 'easy' and most simplest way to watch a case is on TV. Furthermore even if students do start watching cases on TV and don't bother to attend the courts they won't get the full fill of how the court is. Finally if cases do get televised the viewers wouldn't be able to see the defendant, victim, witnesses which could be rather dull to watch if the camera is always on the judge.