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John Doe attorneys want courtroom closed during arguments (UPDATE)

By: Erika Strebel, [email protected]//March 12, 2015//

John Doe attorneys want courtroom closed during arguments (UPDATE)

By: Erika Strebel, [email protected]//March 12, 2015//

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The parties in the three John Doe cases want the Wisconsin Supreme Court hearing room closed to the public during oral arguments.

According to joint proposal on the order of the oral arguments, no one other than the counsel and authorized agents for the parties may be present in the courtroom during oral arguments, and that the court will designate an area in the Capitol for the public to view and hear the arguments.

Wisconsin Eye can broadcast, stream and record the argument, but operate on a delay so that if the John Doe secrecy orders or the redaction order is violated, the broadcast can be suspended and the remarks deleted before resuming the broadcast.

According to the joint report, if the Supreme Court decides to close courtroom access during oral arguments, the parties agree that counsel from all parties will submit a list of individuals authorized to be present in the courtroom by April 10.

Also on Wednesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel filed a motion to intervene in the John Doe cases being reviewed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, noting that it is highly unusual, or even unprecedented, that oral arguments be closed to the public.

According to court filings released Thursday, the Journal Sentinel is intervening because the “blanket of secrecy that currently covers nearly every aspect of this action in this Court conflicts with the public’s well-established right to oversee operations of its government.”

The paper, according to the filings, is entitled to intervene under Wis. Stat. 803.09(1), which allows the press to intervene in judicial proceedings of public interest.

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