ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - The New Mexico Supreme Court is considering a rule to help trial judges decide when to close a courtroom to the public.
The Albuquerque Journal reports (https://bit.ly/1TfBrHm ) that the high court is considering a proposal that defines official guides for closures and establishes the steps and notifications that must be followed.
Closing a courtroom can help witnesses who may not otherwise testify feel safe, but since the decision to keep the public out competes with the right of the defendant to a public trail that decision can be reversed on appeal.
Currently judges rely on a 1984 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case called Waller v. Georgia that sets four criteria to consider before closing a courtroom. The state proposal would more clearly define the Waller test.
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Information from: Albuquerque Journal, https://www.abqjournal.com
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