The Duke lacrosse case represents the most recent instance of an increasingly frequent
phenomenon in which the individuals and institutions involved in court proceedings
become the subjects of intense media scrutiny and the accompanying public debate and
speculation.
The case and the media response to it have turned the spotlight on a number of fundamental legal issues common to high-profile cases, including the rights of free speech and of the press under the First Amendment; the ethical rules governing prosecutors, defense counsel, judges, and journalists; the historic importance in this country of public access to and scrutiny of our system of justice, particularly in criminal cases; and the desires of institutional and individual participants in the judicial process to defend themselves and safeguard their reputations in the face of public and media scrutiny.
The conference will provide a forum for addressing these broader issues. While the Duke lacrosse case offers a springboard for discussion, our expectation is that conference
participants will draw on their experiences with a wide array of high-profile cases to
facilitate discussion both of the practices of the bar and the media in such cases to date,
and of the policies and practices that should be developed for future cases if we are to
more effectively recognize and safeguard the competing interests of the various
participants in the process.
Topics for this discussion include:
- The Role and Responsibility of Traditional Media
- The Role and Responsibility of New Media
If you intend to take a course for CLE credit, please make sure your state is listed in the "Accreditation" section to the upper right of the program description. Accreditation displayed is unique to the purchased program format (live conference, live webcast, on demand, podcast). Credit totals listed for live conferences are the maximum credits available. Credits issued will be based upon actual time in attendance. Credit totals for other formats are for complete programs. Partial credit is not available for any online or downloadable format.
West LegalEdcenter will not provide accreditation for states not listed.
This product is intended for individual use by the named purchaser. Group viewings for online programs may be arranged for five or more attorneys within the same organization prior to viewing by emailing west.wlec-sales@thomson.com.