| In 1988, the Kansas Supreme Court adopted Rule 1001 to manage journalists' use of communications equipment in courtrooms. As technology evolved and proliferated, that rule was updated in 2012. The development of social media created avenues for information distribution that serves First Amendment interests. However, it also threatened courts' abilities to provide fair trials. With access to social media, anyone can gather or send information from a courtroom in a way that adversely affects jurors' impartiality and impinges Sixth Amendment rights. This thesis assesses Kansas Supreme Court Rule 1001 as a solution to that problem. Additionally, it looks at instantaneous communication through social media, its role in today's judicial system, and whether Rule 1001 could be improved to better preserve the courts' function as a crucible of fact and protector the rights of all parties. |
