The State Bar of Michigan's Law and Media Committee hosted a newsroom seminar on March 9, 2000 at WWMT-TV Channel 3 in Kalamazoo. The seminar, one of three that the Committee has sponsored over the past year, is designed to give journalists practical and useful tips on news coverage of the legal system.

"The seminar offers reporters in Michigan advice regarding some of the common practical law and substantive difficulties that journalists encounter in covering the legal system," said Thomas H. Howlett, chairperson of the Law & Media Committee and attorney at the Googasian Firm, P.C. in Bloomfield Hills.

The Committee's one-hour discussion in the WMMT-TV news studio was attended by 15 members of the CBS affiliate's staff, including evening and morning news anchors, news directors and a number of reporters.

The discussion was guided by Howlett, Lansing attorney Douglas Chalgian of Bernick Omer & Radner PC, and noted Kalamazoo trial lawyer William Fette of Cornell, Dalzell, Fette, Tamey & Shek. The panelists used hypothetical fact situations concerning a missed hearing in a high-profile pornography case, jury tampering in a minivan case, "Dr. Doevorkian's" secret past, an appeals reversal in a high-publicity case and the closure of a courtroom.The hypotheticals led to a full discussion and a question and answer session between journalists and panelists.

The Committee's first newsroom seminar was held in April 1999 at Lansing's TV-6 followed by a second seminar in early December 1999 at WOOD-TV 8 in Grand Rapids. More than 20 members of the Grand Rapids news staff were joined by Senior United States District Judge Douglas W. Hillman for the discussion in Grand Rapids.

"It proved to be a lively event punctuated by numerous questions from reporters, editors and producers regarding how they could more effectively gather information about court cases and the legal system," Howlett said.

Plans are currently underway for future seminars in Flint, Saginaw, Traverse City and other locations.

Panelists (left to right): Attorneys Douglas Chalgian, Thomas Howlett and William Fette.

News anchors, reporters and producers listen to a panel discussion during the March 9 WMMT-TV 3 newsroom seminar in Kalamazoo.