The first paper is due on February 25, 2002. Your paper should be typed, double-spaced, with normal font size and margins. I expect that you will need approximately 4-5 pages to complete the assignment. The only required reading for the paper is Sager and Frederiksen, "Televising the Judicial Branch: In Furtherance of the Public's First Amendment Rights." 69 Southern California Law Review 1519-1549 (1996), the article set out on the syllabus to be read for the 25^th. The article is available from two sources. First, a copy will be placed on reserve. Second, the article is available on the web through LEXIS (see note below on steps to be taken to retrieve it from LEXIS)

Assignment: You are a staff member working for the Virginia Courts Commission. The Commission is considering recommending to the Virginia legislature that television cameras be allowed in state courts (to broadcast trials and other proceedings). The Commission member leading the fight for cameras in the courtroom is, in part, relying on the article, "Televising the Judicial Branch: In Furtherance of the Public's First Amendment Rights," in support of his position. The Commission asks you to read the article and write a paper analyzing it. You should assume the readers of your paper know little about arguments for and against the presence of cameras in the courtroom and have not read the article. Thus, you need to summarize the arguments presented by the authors in the article. More importantly, you also should critically analyze the strength of their arguments. In doing so, be sure to address the following: Why do they believe television cameras should be allowed in the courtroom? Do they build a convincing argument? Why or why not? What evidence do they rely on to support their positions? If you think their arguments are flawed, what could they have done, if anything, to strengthen them? You should conclude your paper by presenting your own recommendation.

1. You must be at a computer at a CUNY campus (or access Lexis through the Library's "Home Use" page).

2. Access the web and go to http://www.lexis-nexis.com/universe

3. Click on link to "Legal Research"

4. Click on link to "Law Reviews"

5. In Keyword box, type "title (televising and simpson)" (without quotation marks)

6. Have "Date" box show "Last ten years"

7. Click on 'Search"

8. You should get one result -- the article. Click on the link and you have it!