The Wisconsin state Supreme Court voted Monday to close its discussions over administrative and procedural matters to the public, reversing an open meeting policy that had been in place for over a decade.
In a sharply divided decision, court’s the three liberal-leaning justices voted to keep administrative discussions open, while the four conservative-leaning justices voted to end the practice.
Under the new policy, a majority vote from the court is now required on to open conferences on most administrative matters to the public, except for meetings to hear proposals on changing court policies.
The state’s highest court became the first in the nation to open its administrative conferences to the public in 1999, when former Justice William Bablitch and current Justice N. Patrick Crooks first introduced the policy.
Crooks said he was proud of the practice he helped spearhead because he believed it upheld the state’s commitment to transparent government. He said the court would now seem less accountable to the citizens that elect them.
“I think that it’s a sad day for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, to have had open administrative conferences for just short of 13 years and now to take a step backwards and be less transparent, less accountable, less open to the public,” Crooks said.
Those who voted for the change argued closed meetings would keep the court focused and efficient with its time and focus.
UW-Madison political science professor Donald Downs said the court opting to keep some meetings away from public scrutiny is appropriate to allow for a “more sincere airing of the issues.”
“At some point, you want deliberations to be honest and thorough and those need to be private,” Downs said.
However, Downs added that he believes the court needs to make sure it maintains a fair balance between openness and privacy.
“Sometimes privacy makes sense, but you have to be careful about it going to far,” Downs said.
