New reporters or reporters new to the justice beat can benefit from an introduction to the American court system.
From News University: “Reporting in a courthouse can be intimidating. The legal system has its own rules and language. There are no requirements of public notice. Sources — judges, defense lawyers, prosecutors, clerks, investigators, as well as plaintiffs, defendants and witnesses — are not always accessible. Participants often are not eager to talk to reporters. But lawyers and judges alike are more apt to open up if they believe the reporter understands what he or she is doing.”
NewsU offers several on line, move-at-your-own-pace courses free to journalists who have registered. The list includes three On the Beat sessions: Covering Cops and Crime, Covering Education and Covering the Courts.
Click here for a course list.