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Federal judge partially overturns Maryland ban on recordings of court proceedings

Missing Gavel
Posted at 8:43 AM, Dec 12, 2022
and last updated 2022-12-20 13:49:09-05

Update: In response, the Maryland Supreme Court has scheduled a January 6 open meeting to consider potential rule changes for recording during trials.

Original Story:

The U.S. District Court of Maryland ruled the state's ban on recording court proceedings was unconstitutional.

There are some actions members of the press and others can record when criminal proceedings are in open court. Recordings can be posted online, in films, public events, social media and podcasts.

The order still does not allow for live broadcasting during court hearings, but does prevent a media outlet from being held in contempt for releasing lawfully obtained recordings.

"The State remains free to limit broadcasting from the courtroom, and to regulate the release of recordings under the Maryland Rules. However, the Supreme Court has held that states may rarely, if ever, sanction the publication of lawfully obtained, truthful material that the government has disclosed in official court records," the order reads.

You can read the court's opinion here.