Are witnesses, jurors, or others in courtrooms distracted by in-court television cameras and their operators? Citing a lack of evidence one way or the other, the US Supreme Court has recommended additional research on the matter. Answering the court’s recommendation, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates for the first time that eye-tracking technology can now accurately determine whether courtroom actors look at the television cameras in the courtroom and for how long. In doing so, Television Courtroom Broadcasting opens the door to a new era of research on the effects of in-court distraction.

Paul Lambert is a lecturer, lawyer, and writer.