AZ- Justice Breyer (US Supreme court) sees two sides of coin in 'New Media, Courts'

9-10-2008 Arizona:

The potential that the Internet and new media such as blogs have to engage citizens in legal issues and the democratic process far outweighs negative consequences of the digital age, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said Tuesday during a legal conference.

Speaking at a conference organized by a University of Arizona legal institute, Breyer said that while his own grasp of new technology is somewhat fleeting, he realizes its importance in helping people understand their government, and, more specifically, legal decisions handed down by courts.

Technology allows experts, the media and members of the public to have almost instant access to legal decisions and the ensuing commentary, creating greater transparency and engendering increased participation in the political process, Breyer said during the conference titled "New Media and the Courts" held at a hotel just off campus.

"It leads to an investment," he said of the proliferation of the Web-based news and commentary related to legal decisions. "The system doesn't work if people don't participate."

But Breyer also cautioned against the potential of blogs and unfiltered commentary to influence public opinion during remarks that opened the conference organized by the UA's William H. Rehnquist Center on the Constitutional Structures of Government, part of the James E. Rogers College of Law.

While new media allows more voices to present a wide range of opinions, the varied outlets end up serving smaller, more segmented audiences that often dismiss views that conflict with their own.

"There's increased pressure to get groups to hear how right they are," he said. "It becomes harder to get the message through."

Members of the court must work to ensure that people using new technology to learn about legal decisions at least understand the importance of an independent judicial branch.

That way, even if people disagree on specific decisions, they respect the process, Breyer said.

"We have a very big stake in seeing that people get the proper information," he said.

Yet even while praising the ease at which technology allows people to understand legal decisions, the 70-year-old Breyer jokingly admitted that he has trouble keeping up with the latest advancements.

"I can't even do text messaging on the Blackberry," he said. ..News Source.. by Aaron Mackey