Comments on: Judge sets Facebook hearing status to 'private'--hmm

U.S. District Judge James Ware kicks the public out of the Facebook v. ConnectU hearing, overruling objections from three different news organizations. CNET News.com is evaluating whether to file papers seeking access.

[mrwildman1]

Have you seen what kind of crap the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has pulled in the last 20 years? why would this be any different? activist judges!!! kick them out. it's not legal, and they don't hold the law up anyway! corrupt.

[The_Decider]

What are you babbling about? What is not legal? Banning the press? If so you shouldn't slam the very court that set precedence to minimize courts being closed.

[benjaminstraight]

Judge's discretion.

[declan00]

Did you actually read the article? One excerpt:

It is long-established precedent in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is binding in San Jose, that two requirements be met before the public can be barred. First, the public and the press must be given "a reasonable opportunity to state their objections." Second, the "reasons supporting closure must be articulated."

[BtmnHatesRbn]

Un-Constitutional, since it's in Federal court. Pull out the Constitution and tell me where is specifies the Marxo-Fascism that these mentally ill (Mike Savage defintion) judges can do this? To quote Tom Jefferson, "If it's not in the Constitution, it can't be done."

[wowza3]

yea...bad example considering the constitution never said he had the right to purchase land to more than double the size of the country, never said he could put an embargo in place either.

[meski.oz]

"a reasonable opportunity to state their objections." - asking for a delay is not stating an objection, however common it might be for lawyers to do this. I say do it more. Making a circus out of courtroom hearings is not what they are for.

[saintseminole]

"Making a circus out of courtroom hearings" is in no way analogous to covering a trial or a hearing. All courts in the U.S. are open to both the public AND by default, the media. As stated in the story above, the judge usually has to have a damn good reason to close a court hearing to the public.

Keep in mind that when the media is kicked out of a court room, then "the public" is kicked out too. When court records are sealed to the press, they're also sealed to average Joe Citizen.

I can't believe anyone honestly wants to live in a country where court proceedings and documents aren't available for public scrutiny. (Other than judges and lawyers, I mean)