LAS VEGAS — ACLU of Nevada attorneys will appear before an en banc panel of the Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday in Carson City to argue that the public has a right to access our courts under the First Amendment.
The ACLU of Nevada is representing Our Nevada Judges, a community organization that educates the public about the courts and reports on judicial activity. The case, Falconi v. Eighth Judicial District Court, Case No. 84947, was filed in June.
The Nevada Supreme Court combined Thursday's hearing before the full bench of justices with two other relevant cases. Sophia Romero, of counsel, will make the argument for the ACLU of Nevada.
About Falconi v. Eighth Judicial District Court
The ACLU of Nevada has argued that the public has a right to access courts under the First Amendment. First Amendment access to the courts is critical to government transparency everywhere in the United States, and it has particular importance in Nevada where judges are elected by the public to the bench. Without transparency, the public cannot hold courts accountable for misconduct, and Nevadans have no mechanism to ensure family court proceedings are fair or honest.
Multiple incidents over the last several years have highlighted the need for accountability within the family court system, including incidents of judges acting unprofessionally towards domestic violence survivors and children. Transparency and public accountability are especially crucial for cases that involve parties who have engaged in cycles of domestic violence and often maintain financial advantages. Closing court proceedings without cause increases the likelihood that the most vulnerable members of our community are hidden away by the individuals and systems that have victimized them.
To request an interview, contact West Juhl at juhl@aclunv.org. Information from the Nevada Supreme Court on media coverage of oral arguments is available here.
###
ABOUT THE ACLU OF NEVADA
The ACLU of Nevada is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to the defense and advancement of civil liberties and civil rights for all people in Nevada since 1966.
