# Why are court reporters and sketch artists still needed? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 27, 2024, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751 "2024-01-27T23:27:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2024, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/41 "2024-02-16T21:28:58Z")
Here it’s a contempt of court to take photos or make sketches inside the courtroom. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2024, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/42 "2024-02-17T23:27:22Z")
Where’s “here” for you? ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/43 "2024-02-18T00:13:10Z")
England. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/44 "2024-02-18T18:05:24Z")
Thanks, mate! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/45 "2024-02-19T09:28:36Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Sketch artists are used in courtroom that don’t allow cameras. Why can’t they change the rule? Given all the advances in making cameras unobtrusive to the point of invisibility, is there an actual reason, or just the same kind of reason that keeps English judges in wigs? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/46 "2024-02-19T11:50:20Z")
Cameras in the OJ Simpson trial have kept cameras out of Canadian courtrooms ever since, in my opinion. The media circus in the courtroom confirmed all the reasons for not allowing them in. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/47 "2024-02-19T16:00:39Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Why can’t they change the rule? Well, the rules _are_ changing. Slowly. There are state courts that televise all trials, and others (like Washington) where you can ask and it’s usually granted. The Federal courts have allowed zoom trials and now routinely hold zoom hearings (although typically participation is limited to the parties involved, and no recording is allowed). The fear of a “circus” probably overblown, since the participants are really focused on what’s happening in the courtroom. You basically forget about the cameras after a day or two of trial. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2024, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751/48 "2024-02-20T03:17:29Z")
Law is, by definition, a deeply conservative field (not in the political sense). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-court-reporters-and-sketch-artists-still-needed/996751.md?page=2)