Q: When did Court TV start?
A: Court TV was launched on July 1, 1991.
Q: What was the first trial on Court
TV?
A: The first trial was Florida v. Robert
Scott Hill. He was acquitted of charges
of murdering his stepmother-in-law more
than 20 years earlier.
Q: How do you select the cases that
are covered on Court TV?
A: Several factors are considered when deciding
whether to air a trial. They include: How
important and interesting the issues in
the case are; the newsworthiness of the
case and the people involved; the quality
and educational value of the trial; and
the expected length of the trial.
Q: Are all of the Court TV anchors also
lawyers?
A: The on-air anchors are all lawyers.
Q: Is Court TV closed-captioned?
A: In compliance with federal regulations,
we currently caption ALL of our live/daytime
programming and most of our primetime
programming.
Q: If Court TV is live, why is there
a delay in the broadcast?
A: Court TV uses a 10-second delay. This
is the policy for all trials. The reason
for the delay is to prevent the airing of
information such as the addresses of witnesses,
the names of jurors, private conversations
between a lawyer and his/her client.
Q: Are cameras allowed in all courtrooms?
A: Most states allow cameras in the courtroom.
The exceptions are South Dakota, Indiana
and Mississippi. Most state laws leave it
up to the trial judge to decide whether
he/she will allow a camera in the courtroom.
Federal courts do not allow cameras. An experiment that allowed cameras in certain federal courts ended, and the Judicial Commission, which establishes policy for federal courts, voted not to renew the experiment. Court TV is working to get the commission to reconsider its ruling.
Q: What can I do to get Court TV on
my cable system?
A: There are several steps that can improve
the chances of getting Court TV in your
viewing area. They are:
- •Organize a community effort in the form of a letter-writing campaign.
- •Urge your mayor and local educators to aid in your efforts.
- •Contact your local newspaper and radio call-in show with your plea that Court TV would benefit the community.
- •Call your cable system and request that service be added. Have your friends call.
Q: How can I contact Court TV?
A: Simply click here
and contact us online or use Court TV's
toll-free menu-driven Viewer Information
Line at 1-800-COURT-56. Callers can:
- •Access daytime, primetime and weekend programming schedules.
- •Access verdicts to recent trials covered by Court TV.
- •Leave specific comments or questions regarding Court TV's coverage.
- •Join Citizens for Court TV, the network's grassroots organization for improved camera access laws.
- •Find out if Court TV is carried on their cable system and if so, on what channel.
- •Receive instructions on how to purchase a videotape of anything aired on Court TV.
- •Receive information about Choices and Consequences, the network's public service initiative aimed at young adolescents.
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