Alamance Judges Affirm Press Access To Hearings
by
Associated Press
The Alamance County Courthouse. PAUL GARBER/WFDD FILE
Judges in North Carolina have announced new procedures for reporters to access hearings less than two weeks after a newspaper publisher was handcuffed and ordered out of a courtroom.
The News & Observer reports that Alamance County judges announced the policy after the newspaper and two other news outlets, the Alamance News and Triad City Beat, asked the North Carolina Court of Appeals to force the courts to let in journalists.
Friday's order by the judges says reporters must request permission in advance to attend hearings, and up to five journalists will be allowed in a courtroom.