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119-s-1133119th Congress

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]

In Committee

Summary

Expands judges' authority to allow media coverage of federal court proceedings while protecting vulnerable witnesses and courtroom integrity. This bill would let presiding judges permit photos, recordings, broadcasts, or televising in appellate and district courts under specific limits and safeguards.

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  • Media: Presiding judges would be able to authorize photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of hearings in appeals and district courts subject to courtroom rules.
  • Vulnerable witnesses: Non-party witnesses could request that their face and voice be obscured so they are unrecognizable on broadcasts. The Judicial Conference would have to issue mandatory guidelines within 6 months to identify vulnerable witnesses.
  • Jurors and jury selection: Coverage of jurors and the jury selection process would be prohibited.
  • Confidential lawyer communications: Audio pickup or broadcast of attorney-client conferences and other protected counsel communications would be barred.
  • Courts and limits: District courts' authority to permit coverage would end 3 years after enactment and interlocutory appeals could not challenge a presiding judge's media decisions.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

District cameras, witness and juror rules

If enacted, the bill would let a district court presiding judge permit photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of proceedings they oversee. Non‑party witnesses could ask to have their face and voice obscured and judges must inform non‑party witnesses of that right. Judges could also obscure someone for good cause, but not if obscuring would violate due process and not until mandatory Judicial Conference guidelines are issued. The bill would ban broadcasting jurors or the jury selection process. The Judicial Conference must issue mandatory rules within six months to protect vulnerable witnesses such as victims, minors, undercover officers, and cooperating witnesses. The district‑court authority to allow cameras would end three years after enactment. Courts could require that any technical or other accommodations for media be provided without public expense. The bill would also bar audio pickup or broadcast of off‑the‑record attorney conferences during proceedings.

Who decides on cameras and appeals

If enacted, this bill would define who is the "presiding judge" and what counts as an "appellate court" for media decisions. It would let the presiding judge in an appellate case allow photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising of the proceeding. A judge must not allow coverage if it would violate a party's due process rights: if only the presiding judge sits, that judge must find a violation; if multiple judges sit, a majority must find a violation. Parties would not be allowed an interlocutory appeal of a judge's decision to permit, deny, or stop media coverage.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Grassley, Chuck [R-IA]

IA • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

  • Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

  • Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

  • Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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