“We are about to proceed to hear the case of ACLU v. Clapper; there is sufficient interest that it is being broadcast.”

So began Chief Judge Gerard Lynch of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit last month while presiding over a hearing on the NSA’s bulk records collection program. Judge Lynch spent the next two minutes explaining to those in the courtroom and those watching live on C-SPAN.org the nature of federal appellate hearings.