Got this nice note - and court audio link - from an NH court communications person when I raised concerns about media access during Holly Beene's right-of-assembly lawsuit hearing. Also including my response to her and my original letter.
From: Tammy L. Jackson <TJackson@courts.state.nh.us>
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2020 12:27 PM
To: Dave Ridley
Subject: RE: Open letter to Judge John Kissinger, Merrimack Superior Court, New Hampshire
Hi Dave:
I can help you.
You can listen to the hearing here:
https://we.tl/t-52z2XBFDFD It was recorded by WMUR TV and shared via We Transfer immediately after the conclusion of the hearing to all media that requested access to the hearing including the UL and AP, and then to other media entities that requested it, even though they did not participate in the pool.
The case documents are posted here and we will post Judge Kissinger’s written order as soon as it is received:
https://www.courts.state.nh.us/caseinfo/pdf/civil/Sununu/index.htm This is our current policy, and we are working on expanding it as we continue to work within the parameters and restrictions we are operating under during this world health crisis:
Pursuant to the Supreme Court's 3/16 Order, in person courtroom proceedings are restricted to attorneys, parties, witnesses, security officers, and other necessary persons, as determined by the trial judge. In an effort to make these proceedings accessible to the media, the court has created the following protocol in order to provide the best quality recordings of court proceedings, the speedy distribution to all interested parties and to preserve the media and the public’s right to court proceedings:
WMUR has been assigned pool duties to telephonically monitor and record court hearings in New Hampshire courts. Any media outlet that wishes to receive the audio of a specific hearing should send an email to both to the NHJB Communication's Assistant, Tammy Jackson, at tjackson@courts.state.nh.us and to WMUR Assignment editor, David Sakowich at dsakowich@hearst.com. At this time we are unable to accommodate photography or video.
Should the occasion arise that WMUR is unable to record any proceeding that another outlet is interested in covering, the pool will be given to the next entity requesting as long as they are able to record and distribute the recording. If only one venue is interested, they will be able to call and listen and record if they choose.
The Communications Office is available to assist you in gathering case documents and information and will continue to post high profile case documents to our Frequently Requested Cases page on the court’s website. Send your requests to tjackson@courts.state.nh.us.
It is anticipated that during these difficult times the media will respectfully restrict their requests to cases and hearings that are pertinent and important to and for the public. The court’s resources, especially staff and technology, are heavily burdened by the restrictions and limitations imposed on our institution during this crisis and our priority is to ensure that justice continues to be available to our citizens.
In spite of these stressful circumstances, we have been able to accommodate all media requests thusfar. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Best –
Tammy
Tammy L. Jackson
Communications Office
NH Supreme Court
One Charles Doe Drive
Concord, NH 03301
603-271-2646 (ext.0251)
From: Dave Ridley
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2020 12:09 PM
To: Tammy L. Jackson
Subject: Open letter to Judge John Kissinger, Merrimack Superior Court, New Hampshire
EXTERNAL: Do not open attachments or click on links unless you recognize and trust the sender.
Ms. Jackson sorry to dump this on you, but I could not find an e-mail for Merrimack Superior Court. Forward or not as you see fit.
Judge Kissinger: The Union Leader is reporting that you closed a hearing to the public and media, even though it was a matter of unusually great interest to both. The lawsuit against the governor, filed by former state rep Dan Hynes on behalf of New Hampshire Liberty Alliance activist Holly Beene and others, aimed to challenge this politician's arguably unconstitutional ban on gatherings over 50. Whether the ban is constitutional or not, you should have provided a reasonable level of public and media access to the hearing. And that is what you should do in the future.
The paper also reports there was an audio recording of this hearing. Who created this recording, and where can the public find a copy? Has it been posted online so that everyone who wishes to can listen? I could not find a copy during a 5-minute net search. What will you be doing in the future to ensure that such recordings are made by independent outlets, which have the fullest practical access to record these hearings and public areas immediately surrounding them?
History will judge each of us for how we behaved during this limited medical crisis, which apparently has already turned into an unlimited *government* crisis. The later of the two crises is a threat to both of us. FreeTalkLive.com, one of the most accurate talk shows in the country, has just reported the Justice Department is seeking to do away with the need for judges and in many cases.
This is a time when we should all be helping each other as best we safely can; various threats face us all. Please: Don't make them worse by attacking the essential and often life-saving freedoms which are within your power to defend.
fs
Yours,
Dave Ridley
RidleyReport.com
cc: NHexit.com, GraniteGrock
Sources
https://www.freetalklive.com/podcast/2020-03-22 \
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/coronavirus/judge-upholds-governor-s-power-to-ban-large-gatherings/article_f0e8bac3-fd0c-572c-b9de-87e909dbb1ac.html?block_id=695277