The landscape of Supreme Court accessibility forever changed with the advent of the Oyez Project, credited to Jerry Goldman. Recently, Goldman shared insights into the project’s trajectory, shedding light on the significant impact of digitizing Supreme Court audio records. These records include thousands of hours of oral arguments and opinion announcements, preserved and made available online.
The initiative evolved out of Goldman’s dissatisfaction with the edited selection of Supreme Court audio that first surfaced in Peter Irons’ 1992 cassette release, “May It Please the Court.” Goldman, spurred by restrictive access conditions to these audios at The National Archives, leveraged grant funding to systematically digitize and disseminate the court’s complete recordings. This monumental undertaking not only provided transparency but also helped preserve these deteriorating audio records indefinitely.
One of Oyez’s significant achievements is the accommodation made in Supreme Court practices, following Goldman’s proposition to Chief Justice Rehnquist to release recordings of important cases sooner, as seen with the Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board proceedings. This gradual loosening of restrictions marks a fundamental shift towards greater transparency.
Goldman’s efforts have been instrumental in making the Supreme Court accessible to a broader audience while embracing emerging technologies. Although his collaborative partnership with the Legal Information Institute at Cornell and others administers the project now, his vision remains intact.
In exploring future initiatives, Goldman is directing his energy towards his new venture, On the Docket. This integrates artificial intelligence to create engaging video content from opinion announcements, catering to the new media consumption habits of younger generations.
Through these contributions, Jerry Goldman has profoundly influenced public and legal community engagement with the Supreme Court, establishing a legacy that emphasizes the importance of access to judicial transparency. You can explore the full interview and learn more about Goldman’s work on the SCOTUSblog.