Judge Jean Boyd

Public won when appeals court ruled juvenile murder hearings should have been open

2014-08-20T15:29:12-05:00

By Jim Witt Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published Aug. 19, 2014 The public won a significant “right-to-know” decision last week when Texas’ 2nd District Court of Appeals in Fort Worth unanimously ruled that State District Judge Jean Boyd abused her discretion by closing her juvenile courtroom twice early this year during a murder case. Because the media is part of “the public,” we don’t enjoy any special rights or privileges unavailable to ordinary citizens, so we were banished, too. As your de facto eyes and ears, we were severely hampered in our reporting on the proceedings, although our reporters did manage [...]

Public won when appeals court ruled juvenile murder hearings should have been open2014-08-20T15:29:12-05:00

Appeals court rules juvenile hearings should not have been closed

2014-08-12T23:06:22-05:00

By Deanna Boyd Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published Aug. 12, 2014 FORT WORTH — State District Judge Jean Boyd abused her discretion when she barred the media and public from two juvenile court hearings without showing evidence of good-cause, the Fort Worth’s 2nd Court of Appeals unanimously agreed in an opinion released Tuesday. Boyd was ordered to promptly vacate the two closure orders and take immediate steps to make the transcripts of the Jan. 10 and Jan. 22 hearings available to the media group. “I respect the decision of the Court of Appeals and I will comply with their ruling,” Boyd [...]

Appeals court rules juvenile hearings should not have been closed2014-08-12T23:06:22-05:00

Appeals court hears arguments on closure of juvenile hearings

2014-06-25T23:45:53-05:00

By Deanna Boyd Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published June 25, 2014 FORT WORTH — Arguing that it was not only within the court’s power, but also its obligation, attorneys for the state and local media outlets asked the Court of Appeals Wednesday to help prevent the arbitrary closure of juvenile proceedings. Wednesday’s hearing before Fort Worth’s Second District Court of Appeals stemmed from a petition filed by the Star-Telegram and other media outlets over the closure of two juvenile hearings in January by State District Judge Jean Boyd. The petition argues that Boyd abused her discretion when she closed the proceedings, [...]

Appeals court hears arguments on closure of juvenile hearings2014-06-25T23:45:53-05:00

FW Star-Telegram editor: DFW media teams up for right to know

2014-02-19T15:22:35-06:00

By Jim Witt Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published Feb. 18, 2014 In recent weeks, newspapers in Fort Worth and Dallas and the region’s four TV stations affiliated with the major broadcast networks did something they’ve never done before, at least since I became editor of the Star-Telegram in 1996. We worked together to help protect open records and open hearings in the Texas judicial system. On their own, each of the major media outlets in the DFW area — theStar-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, KDFW/Channel 4, KXAS/Channel 5, WFAA/Channel 8 and KTVT/Channel 11 — have been staunch defenders of protecting the public’s right to [...]

FW Star-Telegram editor: DFW media teams up for right to know2014-02-19T15:22:35-06:00

Star-Telegram, other news outlets go to court over closed juvenile hearings

2014-02-10T22:14:00-06:00

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Originally published Jan. 30, 2014 Six major media outlets in Dallas-Fort Worth joined Wednesday to file a plea in intervention in state District Judge Jean Boyd’s Tarrant County juvenile court to ask that any hearings regarding Ethan Couch be held in open court. The motion also asks that the media outlets be given a chance to be heard if the judge considers motions to close a hearing to the public or makes a decision to do that on her own. Boyd made national news recently for sentencing Couch, 16, to 10 years’ probation and therapy for driving drunk and [...]

Star-Telegram, other news outlets go to court over closed juvenile hearings2014-02-10T22:14:00-06:00
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