Denying access to juries. Publishers have fought orders covering anonymity during jury selection. In one recent case, jurors were ordered not to conduct interviews even after the trial concluded. Sealing court documents. In some courts, judges seal discovery and other documents, including settlement documents for civil cases.
Most judges turn thumbs down.
When faced with restrictive judges, publishers can sue. Sager says judges see their primary role as ensuring that trials are fair to plaintiffs and defendants. Yet there are times when media and public interests conflict with a judge's perception of what constitutes a fair trial. In 1994, the American Bar Association worked with media representatives to update the ABA's Standards for Criminal Justice Fair Trial and Free Press. When studying court access, legal experts say it is important to distinguish between criminal and civil-court proceedings and to examine past rulings.