Oregon Public Broadcasting

This week the 9th Circuit Court of appeals will offer a rare opportunity for the public to watch court proceedings.

For three days, you can watch remote video of appeals cases heard at the court’s San Francisco headquarters. 



Earlier this year, the 9th Circuit gave a green light for live West Coast video relays of arguments for Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the case that challenged California’s Proposition 8.

That didn’t happen – supporters of Prop 8 objected, and the Supreme Court put on the brakes. 

But this Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, experimental remote viewing sites will be set up in Portland, Seattle, and Pasadena for the en banc hearings of four cases before the Court of Appeals.

It’s a rare chance for viewers to see all eleven of the court’s judges at work. 


The 9th’s Chief Judge Alex Kozinski said the court has a long tradition of allowing some kinds of video for important cases. 
 


"But this is really not a broadcast, because this will be only shown in our own courthouses, as if you were in San Francisco, but in an overflow courtroom," he said.



The four hearings include a murder case and a dispute over the ownership of a valuable painting by Pissaro, but none of the cases originated in Oregon. 
 


If you want to watch the court on the Portland feed, you’ll find it at the historic Pioneer Courthouse. Bring a photo ID and don’t expect to bring in any recording devices.