I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3723 
To provide for media coverage of Federal appellate court proceedings, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 8, 2015 
Mr. NADLER (for himself, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. QUIGLEY, and Mr. POE of 
Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To provide for media coverage of Federal appellate court 
proceedings, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Eyes on the Courts 
Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. MEDIA COVERAGE IN FEDERAL APPELLATE COURT 
PROCEEDINGS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) PRESIDING JUDGE.—The term ‘‘presiding 
judge’’ means the judge presiding over a proceeding 
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in an appellate court of the United States. In pro-
ceedings in which more than 1 judge participates, 
the presiding judge shall be the senior active judge 
so participating or, in the case of a circuit court of 
appeals, the senior active circuit judge so partici-
pating, except that— 
(A) in en banc sittings of any United 
States circuit court of appeals, the presiding 
judge shall be the chief judge of the circuit 
whenever the chief judge participates; and 
(B) in en banc sittings of the Supreme 
Court of the United States, the presiding judge 
shall be the Chief Justice whenever the Chief 
Justice participates. 
(2) APPELLATE
COURT
OF
THE
UNITED 
STATES.—The term ‘‘appellate court of the United 
States’’ means any United States circuit court of ap-
peals and the Supreme Court of the United States. 
(b) MEDIA COVERAGE OF COURT PROCEEDINGS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The presiding judge in a 
proceeding of an appellate court of the United 
States shall permit the photographing, electronic re-
cording, broadcasting, televising, or streaming in 
real time or near-real time on the Internet of that 
proceeding to or for the public, unless— 
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(A) the presiding judge determines in writ-
ing, on the motion of any party to the pro-
ceeding or sua sponte, that allowing such 
photographing, recording, broadcasting, tele-
vising, or streaming would violate the due proc-
ess rights of a party to the proceeding or is oth-
erwise not in the interests of justice; and 
(B) the determination under paragraph (1) 
is published at least 72 hours before the pro-
ceeding begins. 
(2) INTERLOCUTORY
APPEALS
BARRED.—The 
determination of a presiding judge under paragraph 
(1)(A) may not be challenged through an interlocu-
tory appeal. 
(3) GUIDELINES.—The Judicial Conference of 
the United States may promulgate guidelines with 
respect to the management and administration of 
photographing, recording, broadcasting, televising, 
or streaming described under paragraph (1). 
(4) PROCEDURES.—In the interests of justice 
and fairness, the presiding judge of each appellate 
court of the United States may promulgate rules 
and disciplinary measures for the courtroom use of 
any form of media or media equipment and the ac-
quisition or distribution of any of the images or 
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sounds obtained in the courtroom. The presiding 
judge may also require written acknowledgment of 
the rules by anyone individually or on behalf of any 
entity before being allowed to acquire any images or 
sounds from the courtroom. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act shall apply with re-
spect to any proceeding in an appellate court of the United 
States that begins on or after the end of the 14-day period 
beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
Æ 
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