Introducing ‘Open Court,’ a newsletter for trial junkies and people who want to know more about criminal justice

KSAT journalist Erica Hernandez takes you inside South Texas courtrooms to find the most interesting cases and stories.

The name “Open Court” might lead you to believe this is another Spurs newsletter.

While I love the Silver and Black, this new, bimonthly email will instead take subscribers inside the criminal justice system in San Antonio and surrounding areas.

In the legal world, “Open Court” simply means the public has access to the proceedings. And that is exactly the aim of this newsletter: to give you the best access to the biggest cases happening at the Bexar County Courthouse, the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center and beyond.

While I begin to cover courts and trials, I want you to feel like you are in the courtroom with me.

I became a trial junkie early in my career — my first beat as a young reporter was the courts in Webb County. Now, as I pick up the torch (and enormous shoes) that Paul Venema left behind, I feel like I’ve come full circle to continue to provide South Texas viewers and readers a true look into the judicial system.

The Open Court newsletter will be a must-read for trial junkies like myself. You will find:

  • Coverage of all high-profile criminal cases
  • Summaries and video from testimony and court proceedings
  • Details on who is on trial and the charges they face
  • Interviews with people who work at the courthouse, from attorneys and prosecutors to judges and staff
  • A breakdown of what’s really happening and an opportunity to ask me questions

This free newsletter begins as in-person jury trials start back up on June 1 and will hit inboxes at least every other week. I’ll send special editions when big news breaks.

You can also follow me on my social media pages — on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram — as well as I will be giving updates on testimony and proceedings throughout the day.

If you are interested in this newsletter sign-up here or find the latest news on KSAT’s courts page.

>>Sign up for KSAT 12′s free Open Court newsletter here<<


About the Author:

Erica Hernandez is an Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in the broadcast news business. Erica has covered a wide array of stories all over Central and South Texas. She's currently the court reporter and cohost of the podcast Texas Crime Stories.