State Supreme Court Does Reversal On Sealing Jurors’ Names

The State Supreme Court has reversed itself on the issue of the secrecy surrounding jurors’ names. It’s ruled that jury lists in criminal cases must be open to the public, with the names being kept secret only in cases in which a judge finds what the Court calls a compelling reason to keep the names from public view. The new rule overturns one the Supreme Court adopted earlier this year and was scheduled to go into effect next month. It declared names of jurors should be kept secret in criminal courts. The reversal comes on the heels of a meeting earlier this month incvolving six of the seven Supreme Court judges. They met with representatives of several media outlets concerned about the earlier order.