The likely newest justice to the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, said in her confirmation hearings this week that she's open to the idea of at least discussing allowing cameras in the courtroom. (While no one specifically brought up HD cameras, per se, we're figuring if and when they ever come to the highest court in the land, nothing less than HD would be in order, of course.)
In her first full day of questioning by a Senate panel on July 14, "Sotomayor hinted she would favor allowing television cameras into the Supreme Court," according to the Radio-Television News Directors Association. RTNDA, which has fought to get cameras in all courts for many years, was excited enough about the Sotomayor's carefully worded response to place the brief three-minute video of the judge's cameras-in-court testimony at the top of its Web site this week.
President Obama's first nominee to the high court was briefly queried on the use of cameras by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.). She said she had "positive experiences with cameras" during some trial runs in the lower courts where she has served, and that she is open to adding another voice to the discussion with her new court colleagues–if she is confirmed as a justice.
The Supreme Court has consistently avoided allowing cameras in its courtroom, although it does permit audio recordings of its proceedings in most cases. And for the record, Sotomayor did not flatly state that she would favor bringing cameras to the Supreme Court (HD or otherwise).
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