The Lindbergh kidnapping ... O. J. Simpson ... Bush versus Gore ... Throughout the 20th century, news coverage of dramatic court cases captivated America. Now in the cable/Internet age, the media takes us into the courtroom as judicial events unfold-and leaves us susceptible to sloppy reporting and ratings-driven sensationalism.

A unique reference work exploring the interaction of ever more pervasive media and the U.S. judicial system in the 20th century.

At a time when two-thirds of local news is crime- or court-related, when Court TV broadcasts daily, and when one lurid case can push all other news aside, Media and American Courts: A Reference Handbook offers a much-needed examination of how the press and the judicial system interact. Despite the benefits (a better-informed public, judicial accountability), has expanded coverage of the courts in fact weakened our democracy?

Media and American Courts approaches this question by exploring the cases, the personalities, and the controversies that have redefined the court/press relationship in the past century as the media expanded from print and radio to courtroom cameras, cable, and the World Wide Web. It also includes suggestions from legal and media experts for making court news more accurate, informative, and useful.

• Glossary definitions written in clear, layman's language describing the terms necessary for a full understanding of media coverage of the judicial system
• Biographical sketches of prominent courtroom journalists, lawyers, and judges such as F. Lee Bailey, Marcia Clark, and Johnny Cochran