The Circus Comes to Town: The Media and High-Profile Trials

Sellers offers advice of a different sort for dealing with the carnival-like atmosphere of a high-profile case. He urges a judge faced with a high-profile case to develop a media plan that resolves logistical issues, including the use of cameras in the courtroom, access to wireless communications and other technologies, and courtroom seating for media. He includes an extensive description of print, Web-based, and professional resources available to judges seeking guidance about high-profile cases, and provides examples from recent trials of creative strategies that proved effective. While Sellers acknowledges that the judge in a high-profile case faces a difficult task in balancing the First Amendment right of access with the Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial, he offers reassurance that effectively managing the logistical aspects of a trial can go a long way toward protecting the rights of those involved.