WASHINGTON (CN) - A judicial policy-making body said on Tuesday that it will limit audio streaming access to federal court proceedings following the end of pandemic-era policies. 

The Judicial Conference said courts will be able to continue broadcasting the audio of civil and bankruptcy proceedings with the exception of trial proceedings with witness testimony. 

The Judicial Conference announced the policy change during a call with reporters following its biennial meeting. 

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, all remote public access to federal court proceedings was prohibited. Necessitated by the need for remote work, the judiciary had to temporarily amend its longstanding policy. Those changes were set to end on Sept. 21.

The Judicial Conference's intervention will allow continued access in limited circumstances. 

Media organizations and court watchers had asked the conference to include civil proceedings with witness testimony in its revised policy. 

"District courts' experience during the pandemic with remote audio access to proceedings demonstrates its feasibility," the groups wrote. "In the past, some have raised logistical concerns about permitting remote audio access, such as the space and personnel needed to record and transmit the audio, possible burdens on court security, or the risk of distracting witnesses. The fact that so many district courts successfully provided remote audio access to proceedings, including those with witnesses, shows that these concerns can be readily addressed." 

The groups argued allowing greater audio access in these proceedings would act as a supplement to in-person access, allowing those from all over the country to tune in. 

"This access would improve public understanding of and trust in the judicial system," the groups wrote.

The conference said it would be exploring further ways to expand audio access to witness testimony. The body says it still has concerns over whether broadcasting witness testimony would increase the potential for witness intimidation or complicate witness sequestration. 

An area of great public interest the conference did not discuss was former President Donald Trump's impending federal trials. The judicial watchdog Fix the Court urged the conference to expand access to these proceedings to address the heightened public interest in the cases. 

The conference also shied away from discussing other controversies within the judiciary, such as ethics concerns about Justice Clarence Thomas. 

Source: Courthouse News Service