News Release

In response to the national health crisis, the Indiana Supreme Court on April 22 issued an order authorizing all Indiana trial courts to live-stream court proceedings on public Internet platforms, such as YouTube, to keep the court processes transparent to the public.

This live-streaming rule does not preempt the Supreme Court’s ban on recording any proceedings. Reporters are still not allowed to tape any proceedings for later replay. The court has been told to include a “Do Not Record” watermark on each live-streamed proceeding, according to a news release by the Hoosier State Press Association.

Hearings that are confidential by law will not be streamed on the Internet.

The order signed by Chief Justice Loretta Rush attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic to balance the public’s transparency interest in how its courts operate in a fair and just manner with the judiciary’s obligation to maintain order and dignity of proceedings and protect litigants’ due process and fair trial rights.

Kosciusko County Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed said Kosciusko County judges have not entertained a similar idea because – unlike some courts – local courts continue to be open for business and open to the public.