How to open up our court
Fair Courts E-lert
Bibliographic Info:
Author: Tony Mauro
Source: USA Today
Date: 4/23/2008
Op-ed argues that, "unfortunately, the Supreme Court is fairly content with being invisible, and it is certainly not happy not to be a campaign issue." Writing that the U.S. Supreme Court's justices "drop out of sight - unless they have a book to sell," op-ed argues that as "the American people's highest court," the Court "should not get to decide how invisible, [or] how unaccountable, it will be." Although Chief Justice John Roberts "deserves credit for making some progress toward greater transparency," a "quick scan reveals that other courts have found innovative ways of engaging the public." Op-ed argues that "in a democracy dependent on an informed public," our country's nine "most important" judges should do away with "the unfortunate explanation that court hearings are for the education of the justices, and not the public."