The Supreme Court refused slowly adopts new technology
Even the U.S. Supreme Court doesn’t use the technology available through CourtScribes’ Miami court reporters. But the high court is taking steps to become more tech savvy.
The Associated Press reported in November that the Supreme Court has started making new legal filings available online. According to the news agency:
Can livestreamed audio of arguments and even televised sessions be far behind? Yes, they can.
But advocates of court openness will take what they can get for now, especially because the Supreme Court will not charge for documents. The federal courts’ PACER system does charge fees.
“Though the Supreme Court has moved glacially to join the rest of the judiciary in permitting online filing, that’s better than not at all, and the institution should be commended for creating an e-filing system that, unlike PACER, will be free and easily accessible to the public,” said Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court.
Over the years, the justices have at times shown a glancing familiarity with technology. Some carry computer tablets with high court briefs loaded on them. But notes between justices are routinely sent on paper, definitely not by email.
Chief Justice John Roberts himself noted a few years back that the court stuck with pneumatic tubes to transmit newly released opinions from the courtroom to reporters waiting one floor below until 1971, long after their heyday.
Roberts said that it’s appropriate for courts “to be late to the harvest of American ingenuity” because their primary role is to resolve disputes fairly.
The Supreme Court’s position contrasts with the high tech offerings of Miami court reporters working with CourtScribes.
CourtScribes offers both complete standard court reporting services and advanced services other court reporting companies don’t have, including live, on-demand courtroom video.
“CourtScribes is embracing technology and leading the way in a new age of court reporting. They provided me with dramatically superior service and price,” says Justin Rundle of Rundle Law in Miami.
