King v. Whitmer

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN

SOUTHERN DIVISION

TIMOTHY KING, et al.,

Plaintiffs, v. Case No. 20-13134 Honorable Linda V. Parker GRETCHEN WHITMER, et al.,

Defendants, and

CITY OF DETROIT,

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL

COMMITTEE and MICHIGAN

DEMOCRATIC PARTY, and

ROBERT DAVIS,

Intervenor-Defendants. ______________________________/

OPINION AND ORDER

On July 14, 2021, counsel for Plaintiffs’ counsel filed an emergency motion asking the Court to release the video of the July 12 hearing in this matter. (ECF No. 152.) Counsel argues that “[t]hroughout our history, the open courtroom has been a fundamental feature of the American judicial system.” (Id. at Pg ID 5286 (quoting Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. v. FTC, 710 F.2d 1165, 1177 (6th Cir. 1983).) The Court in fact threw the virtual doors to the July 12 proceeding wide open—far wider than could have been accommodated had the hearing been conducted in person. As counsel notes in the motion, more than 13,000 people watched live, “viewing the proceedings just as they were conducted.” (ECF No. at Pg ID 5287.) As to counsel’s suggestion that the video is needed to prepare a supplement brief, attorneys routinely prepare such briefs following a hearing without video or audio recordings of the proceedings and often without a transcript.

For these reasons,

IT IS ORDERED that the emergency motion (ECF No. 152) is DENIED. s/ Linda V. Parker

LINDA V. PARKER

U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE

Dated: July 14, 2021