Supreme Court to stream online


Oral arguments before the Texas Supreme Court will be streamed live on the Internet beginning March 20.

The state's highest civil court has updated its Austin courtroom, adding five remote-controlled cameras and improved audio equipment and lighting � all supplied by St. Mary's University School of Law. The San Antonio law school, which proposed the Webcasting project, also will monitor the Internet feed and archive the videos for Web users.

Up to 300 simultaneous viewers may watch the arguments. Demand will determine if additional capacity is needed, according to the Office of Court Administration.

Lawyers appearing before the court may file a motion to opt out of the Webcasting, and "any party or interested person" may oppose the motion, according to the court's procedures. The court currently makes audio recordings of oral arguments available on its Web site.

Arguments may be viewed at www.stmarytx.edu/law or the court's Web site, www.supreme.courts.state.tx.us.

I saw St. Mary's paid for the S.Ct.. I wonder if there is the same interest in the CCA?

JAS