Once upon a time in Florida, the state courts were open and easy for journalists to cover. Journalists checked new complaints as soon as they crossed into court, often revealing big news about fraud, political shenanigans, environmental depredations and fatal calamites. But that was when paper was the way records were filed and kept.
Then along came the great technological revolution in the courts where paper was left behind and complaints came in electronic form. At that point Florida and many state courts shut the tradition of access down. They in effect sealed the electronic filings for a day or a week or more, long enough for the news to drain out of them entirely.
