Attorney Kelli L. Sager, best known for her representation of the media in the Access issues that arose during the O. J. Simpson trial, will deliver the 34th annual Silha Lecture, entitled “In Defense of Public Trials: Access to Court Proceedings in the Internet Age.”  The Lecture will take place on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, starting at 7:30 pm, at Cowles Auditorium at the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis.

The principle of open judicial proceedings is a hallmark of the U.S. judicial system. Recent controversial civil and criminal cases, such as Minnesota v. Mohamed Noor, make it increasingly important for the public to scrutinize what is happening in their courts. Although many judges embrace a number of modern technological advances that help to open the courts to the public and press, the advent of social media has prompted others to limit the use of electronic devices, citing concerns about privacy and defendants’ fair trial rights under the Sixth Amendment.  Sager will discuss these concerns and the importance of expanding – rather than retracting – access rights in the digital age in her lecture.

Sager represents media and entertainment companies, as well as journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, newspapers, Web publishers, and authors.  Among other accolades, Chambers USA has ranked Sager for 10 consecutive years in its top tier of media attorneys in the country, and she has been one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America since 2005.

Reservations are NOT required for the Silha Lecture. Parking is available in the 19th and 21st Avenue ramps. Additional information about directions and parking can be found at www.umn.edu/pts.