On January 3, 2005, the Supreme Court began livestreaming its oral arguments. As it happens, a case I was involved in was the first argument that day and, therefore, the first to be livestreamed. The Court has continued that practice ever since.

In fact, in 2024, the Court expanded livestreaming to cover most oral arguments in the Appellate Division, as discussed here. The fears of some that livestreaming would lead to grandstanding by counsel or other negatives have not been borne out or, in the case of certain types of Appellate Division oral arguments, have been managed. Livestreaming allows the public to see our appellate courts in action and to learn how actual appellate oral arguments differ from the proceedings that appear in so many television shows featuring lawyers.

Livestreaming has turned out to be an unmixed blessing that is here to stay. Our judicial system and the interests of the public are the better for it.