Trial by Media: Where Fact & Fiction Co-Exist in High-Profile Cases

Authors

Sophie Fielder

First & Last Page

81-111

Abstract

Media presence in any U.S. courtroom has long included a debate between the First and Sixth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, especially within high-profile criminal trials. However, while most federal courts choose to disallow live streaming of trials, state courts continue to vary on the levels of media involvement within their courtrooms. Furthermore, parties involved in civil trials receive less constitutional protection; as such, we’ve seen the media’s presence run wild within the last couple of years, turning respected courtrooms into entertainment circuses and exposing jurors to influential media more than ever. In a world not only consumed by technology but made more accessible because of it, the legal community must find a way to balance fairness and impartiality promised by the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This note does not argue for abolishing media coverage; instead, it argues that states adopt a more consistent approach regarding media presence in the courtroom that limits prejudice often seen once a certain level of celebrity status is proven.

Recommended Citation

Sophie Fielder, Trial by Media: Where Fact & Fiction Co-Exist in High-Profile Cases, 10 Lincoln Mem’l U. L. Rev. (2023).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lmunet.edu/lmulrev/vol10/iss2/4