Court TV Argues Landmark Litigation Against New York State Claiming That State Ban on Cameras in Courtrooms Is Unconstitutional; David Boies Represents Network In Court.Entertainment Editors/Business Editors/Legal Writers NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 5, 2003 Oral arguments took place today in Court TV's landmark lawsuit against the State of New York, seeking a declaratory judgment declaratory judgment n. a judgment of a court which determines the rights of parties without ordering anything be done or awarding damages. While this borders on the prohibited "advisory opinion," it is allowed to nip controversies in the bud. Examples: a party to a contract may seek the legal interpretation of a contract to determine the parties' rights, or a corporation may ask a court to decide whether a new tax is truly applicable to that business that the State law prohibiting cameras in courtrooms in New York State trial courts is unconstitutional. The suit represents the first time that any media organization has sued for the sole purpose of ending a statewide ban against cameras in courts. David Boies, founding partner in the law firm of Boies, Schiller & Flexner Simon 1863-1946. American microbiologist who isolated the bacillus of dysentery (1900), developed a serum for cerebrospinal meningitis (1907), and led the team that identified the cause of poliomyelitis. "Our suit seeks to give state court judges the discretion to provide the electronic media with the same right to cover trials in New York as the print media," said Henry Schleiff, Chairman and CEO of Court TV. "We are delighted to have a lawyer of David Boies's reputation argue a case which would provide the public with greater access to one of the hallmarks of democracy, our judicial system." Court TV originally filed its suit on September 5, 2001 against the State of New York and three officials responsible for enforcing the laws of the State: Governor George Pataki, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, and New York County District Attorney Robert Morgenthau. All fifty states now allow cameras at least in appellate proceedings. New York is one of only eleven states that do not allow cameras in trial courts. Court TV (www.Courttv.com or AOL Keyword: Court TV), a basic cable network, provides a window on the American system of justice through distinctive programming that both informs and entertains. As the leader in investigative television, Court TV telecasts trials by day and high-profile original programs like Forensic Files and popular off-network series like NYPD Blue in the evening. Court TV is 50% owned by AOL Time Warner, and 50% owned by Liberty Media Corp. The network is seen in almost 80 million homes. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion