Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Brian Boatright has signed a directive establishing guidance for when judicial officers livestream proceedings in criminal cases, according to a news release from the Colorado Judicial Department.

More than 100 public comments were received on the draft version of the directive. The directive seeks to balance consistent transparency in criminal proceedings with a trial court’s discretion to determine when the public’s interest in observing proceedings remotely is outweighed by the interests of parties and witnesses, the release states.

Boatright said in the news release that the court system has heard since the pandemic that the public has come to appreciate and expect the ability to remotely observe proceedings in criminal cases.

Under the directive, proceedings would be live streamed only if a courtroom’s staffing and technological capabilities can accommodate it. Disruptive viewers could be expelled or muted by the court without warnings and be subject to contempt proceedings, according to the news release.

Audio and video recording, screen shots, or photos of any live streamed court proceeding is prohibited without expressed permission from the court and may also be subject to contempt proceedings, the release states.

The Virtual Proceedings Committee will continue to meet regularly and recommend any modifications to the directive, according to the news release.