Since, in most cases, sequestration is no longer an option for judges to insure an impartial jury, judicial restraints or suppression orders directed at trial participants have become increasingly attractive. The problem is that the press has a desire to disseminate information about the judicial process to the public. Silence orders prohibiting…

Discusses the U.S. public's fascination with the judicial system and high-profile court cases. Highlights several trials that have been deemed the "Trial of the 20th Century." Explains that there are certain dramatic and societal elements inherent in particular cases making them high profile, such as religion, racism, revenge, scandal, and fame.…

Although the First Amendment guarantees the rights of freedom of speech and press, these rights are not absolute. With freedom comes the knowledge that irresponsible action can lead to the regulation of that freedom by others. The courts must balance conflicting rights in cases, such as press coverage of criminal trials, where irresponsible…

Section B of the Media and Law section of the proceedings contains the following nine papers: "The Professional Person as Libel Plaintiff: Reexamination of the Public Figure Doctrine" (Harry W. Stonecipher and Don Sneed); "The Anti-Federalists and Taxation under the Free Press Clause of the First Amendment" (Brad Thompson);…

Section A of the Media and Law section of the proceedings contains the following nine papers: "RICO and the First Amendment: Racketeering Laws Threaten Free Expression" (Matthew D. Bunker and others); "Press Coverage of the Federal Appellate Courts: Technology and a Shared Notion of Newsworthiness" (Rebekah V. Bromley);…

Asks secondary students to compare the real Scopes trial to the fictionalized version presented in the movie "Inherit the Wind," with their textbook and Web site versions. Intends for students to learn about key facts, arguments, and outcomes of the trial and to understand significant individuals' impacts on the trial's events and…