If you want to watch actual courtroom arguments as the Minnesota Supreme Court hears cases in Saint Paul, they’re now livestreamed on-line starting today. Chief Justice Lorie Gildea says the Supreme Court is committed to maintaining the public’s trust. Gildea says, “By livestreaming our oral arguments, we hope to give more Minnesotans the opportunity to see their highest court in action and to learn more about how their court works. Coincidentally, the first livestream of State Supreme Court proceedings is this morning’s (9am) oral arguments in Republicans’ high-profile lawsuit against Governor Mark Dayton over his veto of operating funds for the Minnesota Legislature.
Chief Justice Gildea says the objective of livestreaming is greater accessibility. “Not everybody can make their way to Saint Paul,” she says, “but hopefully by being able to watch the court from wherever they are, it will provide a greater opportunity for more people to see us work.” Gildea notes oral arguments for some time have been archived on the Supreme Court’s website, but “this will be different because you can watch it as it’s happening. And we recognize that we live in an on-demand, real-time world, and this is an effort to meet the people where they are.” Gildea says the high court typically hears 12 to 14 cases per month, and if orally argued they will be livestreamed.