The Circuit Court of Cook County recently announced that, effective July 17, 2023, court proceedings will no longer be livestreamed.
During the COVID-19 pandemic and under restrictions of the National Health Emergency and the State of Illinois Public Health Emergency, the court employed technological enhancements to stream audio and video of certain court proceedings on the court’s YouTube channel to ensure public access to and confidence in the court system, while ensuring the health and safety of court personnel, litigants, and the public at large. Although these goals were achieved during the course of the pandemic, the livestreaming created unintended consequences for the court by enabling rogue actors with malicious intent to disrupt court proceedings and victimize court participants.
In addition, livestreaming of criminal court proceedings can create a permanent electronic record in the public domain that negatively impacts the lives of those accused of crimes who were not convicted or whose charges were ultimately expunged from public records.
On May 11, 2023, the National Health Emergency and the Illinois Public Health Emergency were terminated. Livestreaming proceedings beyond the pandemic emergency is no longer necessary, and its advantages are now outweighed by its disadvantages. A majority of circuit courts throughout Illinois have either already discontinued or will soon discontinue the use of livestreaming of court proceedings. Courtrooms are once again open to the general public and the media for observing court proceedings, including those proceedings conducted remotely, in person, or with hybrid technology.
