Backgrounder
Conrad Black’s fraud trial in Chicago highlighted the differences between the Canadian and American systems of justice. A Canadian journalist who needs to know how a grand jury works or where to find a case file down south can consult the Knight Centre for Specialized Journalism’s court coverage website. It’s designed to help rookie and experienced journalists alike. Need links to contacts in U.S. state and federal courts? Unsure of the meaning of a legal phrase? There’s even advice on how to establish contacts and work the court beat.