Pause on court livestreaming leaves public access in limbo, raising transparency concerns

A window into Colorado’s judicial system has largely gone dark, leaving residents with fewer ways to monitor court proceedings and uncertainty over whether that access will return. Three years after state lawmakers required livestreaming of most criminal proceedings, Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica Márquez has temporarily suspended that mandate, prompting concerns among First Amendment advocates about the public’s ability to hold the courts accountable. The 90-day suspension, ordered Sept. 15, allows individual judges to decide whether to livestream proceedings, effectively reversing a statewide transparency requirement established in 2023. Whether the restrictions will remain in place beyond the December expiration date remains unclear. “In general, I think that more eyes on the judicial system is a good thing,” said Jeff Roberts, executive director of the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. “It helps people understand how the courts work.

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