An advocacy group pushing for greater transparency of the Supreme Court has called on Chief Justice John Roberts to broadcast live audio of upcoming oral arguments of a potentially landmark gay marriage case.
While television cameras and traditional radio equipment are banned from the high court, the Coalition for Court Transparency wants Roberts to allow live audio of the case to be streamed via the Internet.
“When the Supreme Court convenes to hear oral arguments in the same-sex marriage cases, millions of interested Americans will be denied the opportunity to tune in,” said a statement by the group Friday. “Instead, we call on Chief Justice Roberts and the Supreme Court to make this audio available in real-time over the Internet so that Americans everywhere can hear their government at work.”
“This historic occasion is an opportunity for Chief Justice John Roberts to embrace basic 21st century technology, as he promised us in his end-of-year address.”
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to review the constitutionality of gay marriage in a case that could decide the issue nationally once and for all.
The justices will review an appellate ruling that upheld bans on same-sex unions in four states: Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee. The states are among the 14 where gay and lesbian couples can’t legally marry.
The Supreme Court currently releases audio of oral arguments, but only days after the proceedings.
But don’t expect to be able to hear live broadcast of Supreme Court proceedings anytime soon.
Roberts, in his year-end report for 2014, admitted that courts traditionally are slow to respond to technological advances, saying that they “will always be prudent whenever it comes to embracing the ‘next big thing.’”
He said that technological advances in courtrooms can discriminate against people who don’t have access to such technology.
“Unlike commercial enterprises, the courts cannot decide to serve only the most technically capable or well-equipped segments of the public,” he wrote in his year-end report. “The courts must remain open for those who do not have access to personal computers.”
Roberts added that the court technology poses security concerns “that must be satisfied before new systems go live.”
