Rule 70-9. Coverage of Court Proceedings by Cameras and Electronic Media

(a) The broadcasting, televising, recording or photographing of proceedings in the Supreme or Appellate Court by the media as defined in Section 1-10A should be allowed unless the panel of jurists partially or totally excludes coverage in the interests of the administration of justice.

(b) Unless good cause is shown, any media or pool representative who has been approved as media pursuant to Section 1-10A and wishes to broadcast, televise, record or photograph a Supreme or Appellate Court proceeding shall send an email request for electronic coverage to a person designated by the chief court administrator to receive such requests at least three business days prior to the commencement of the proceeding. Said designee shall promptly transmit any such request to the panel of jurists assigned to hear the matter.

(c) The right to permit or to exclude coverage, whether partially or totally, shall remain with the panel of jurists, consistent with subsection (a).

(d) In any case involving: (1) sexual assault; (2) risk of injury to, or impairing the morals of, a child;

(3) abuse or neglect of a child; (4) termination of parental rights; and (5) contested questions of child custody or visitation, counsel of record shall not disclose any information that would likely publicly reveal the identity or location of the protected parties during the proceeding.

(e) If there are multiple requests to broadcast, televise, record or photograph the same proceeding, the media representatives making such requests must make pooling arrangements among themselves, unless otherwise determined by the panel of jurists. The panel of jurists shall not mediate any disputes among the media regarding pooling arrangements.

(f) As used in this rule, ''panel of jurists'' means the justices or judges assigned to hear a particular case.

Committee Notes

(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 4116A.) (Amended Feb. 19, 2003,