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Resident urges Livingston County commissioners to press courts on access to hearing recordings
Summary
Steve Williams of Marion Township told the commissioners that local court policy blocks residents from obtaining copies of courtroom recordings, described high transcript fees and inconsistent orders, and asked the board to request restoration of public access to recordings in the 53rd Judicial District.
Steve Williams of Marion Township urged the Livingston County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 9 to press local courts to restore broader public access to recordings of court hearings.
Williams told the board that a policy adopted in the 53rd Judicial District prevents residents from receiving copies of hearing recordings and forces litigants to obtain costly transcripts instead. "It would cost nothing," he said, arguing that the county could request changes that would allow residents to have copies for their own use. Williams said current practice is determined at the court level and that judges who signed the policy are no longer in office.
Williams described earlier practices in which court users could obtain copies for nominal fees and said the current policy has created practical barriers. He said he had paid $550 for a copy of a transcript for a single hearing and that restricted access has affected his family's ability to enforce court orders. "This is abuse of power," Williams said, describing a family-court order he said was issued in-court and immediately put into effect.
The speaker named several judges in his remarks, saying the policy was signed under previous judges of the 53rd Judicial District (identified in his remarks as Judge David Reeder, Carol Hekigerziola, Theresa M. Brennan and Suzanne Geddes). He also referenced experiences in Washtenaw County to contrast different local practices.
No member of the board offered an immediate response during the public comment period. The commissioners took no formal action on the issue at the meeting; the board proceeded to routine business, including approval of a materials-management planning grant and routine claims and payables.
Next step: Williams asked the board to consider requesting that the courts change the policy so residents can access recordings without requiring costly transcripts; the board did not schedule formal follow-up during this session.
