For decades, municipal court proceedings unfolded behind closed courtroom doors—faces turned toward a wall, voices raised, decisions whispered through legal formalism. But in Xenia, Ohio, a quiet revolution has taken root: every public hearing is now streamed live online. On first glance, this shift feels like a step toward transparency.

Understanding the Context

Beneath the surface, however, lies a complex interplay of technological inevitability, public expectation, and unspoken trade-offs—one that demands scrutiny far beyond the surface-level promise of openness.

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