Should courts allow live tickers? A question of balance, not personal preference.

Public court proceedings are a cornerstone of the rule of law. Yet real-time reporting from the courtroom raises difficult questions about the presumption of innocence, sensationalism and the integrity of witness testimony, all of which must be weighed against the public’s right to be informed.

In her contribution to the Rechtspanorama of the Vienna Bar (Rechtsanwaltskammer Wien), our partner and Vice President of the Vienna Bar, Bettina Knoetzl, examines the debated ban on live tickers and explains why the Austrian Supreme Court sets a high bar for any such restriction. A ban is permissible only in exceptional cases and after careful weighing against the public’s constitutional right to information. Anyone who limits the openness of court proceedings must give reasons that are concrete, transparent and open to review.
After all, the rule of law shows itself precisely in how carefully we handle its areas of tension.

Read the full article in German here or here.