Wyo. judge rules child endangerment cases can't be closed

Wyoming courts will no longer be able to automatically close child endangerment case files, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press reported. This ruling will not apply to information that could identify the victim but will "give the public more information about criminal charges in such cases."

A Wyoming court's policy of banning public access to child endangerment cases files violates the state public records law, a judge ruled Thursday, according to the Casper Star-Tribune.

District Judge Scott Skavdahl's ruling came in response to a December lawsuit filed by the Casper newspaper against Circuit Judge Michael Huber, after the newspaper reports it sought "the release of records in child endangerment cases that don't involve sex crimes." In Wyoming, the district court is higher than the circuit level.

According to the Star-Tribune, Skavdahl said "it was beyond his discretion to tell the circuit court exactly what policy it should have in regard to such records." But the newspaper's attorney, Bruce Moats, said the ruling will still give the public more information about criminal charges in such cases.

More here.

Tully Center Publishes Grim Report on State of Access to Military Justice

The Tully Center for Free Speech at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press today released a comprehensive study on the lack of public access to military court proceedings. The Tully Center’s researchers found more than one-third of military bases surveyed do not allow public access to information in military court schedules, and another 20% only give out partial information. The Reporters Committee published this research as part of an 8-page guide including information on the problems reporters encounter in covering military courts, the relevant law and helpful resources.

The report is available here.