The “Open Court” project  begins a pilot experiment in public access today in the busy Quincy, Massachusetts District Court. Court proceedings will be streamed live over the Web for anyone to see – in fact as I write I’m viewing/listening to the action. From an AP story: “The courtroom, which usually does not allow reporters to use even computers, will now welcome laptops, iPads and smartphones, and will encourage live blogging, Tweeting and Facebooking. “

This project is being run by WBUR, Boston’s NPR news station, and funded by the Knight News Challenge.

Read the full AP story about the whys and wherefores of the project here and check out the live broadcast of the Quincy District Court proceeding with Judge Mark Coven on the bench here.  Some may find the proceedings dull while others will see it as important slice of life that citizens need to watch. Will bloggers and other citizen journalists begin to cover courts and the proceedings using new media and social media? Where is this all headed?