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‘ Poe Bh eo gee lee ROBERT C, FINLEY ° Judge urges understanding by press, law CHICAGO (AP) — A Washington State Supreme Court justice says journal- fism and law professors must share the responsibility for fair trials and a free press in America, Justice Robert C. Finley told a panel of the Associa- tion of American Law Schools’ annual meeting Monday night, “The mon- key’s on everybody’s back.” “The news media could use some in-depth informa- nt. . tion and understanding” in the nature of the judicial process, Finley said. But he noted, “Accuracy and quality of news report- ing- concerning the courts and the administration of justice has ‘been substantial- jy improved.” ‘Representatives of The As- sociated Press Managing Ed- itors Freedom of Informa- tion Committee, the Ameri- can Newspaper Publishers Association, the Association ‘for Education in Journalism and Sigma Delta Chi, the ‘professional journalistic so- ciety, attended the panel ses- sion and agreed with law school professors that com- munications between the two groups must be improved. Greaier contact urged The APME representative, u Blonk, managing editor ' Of the Wenatchee World, . Wenatchee, Wash., said he thought progress could be made through greater con- tact and cooperation be- tween Jaw students and jour- nalism students while still in school, ., A committee of law and ‘. Journalism professors was selected te continue a study “to determine ‘how students in both professions can relate * to gach other, ~ Scot Powe Jr., a professor’ of law at the University of « Texas, told the group ‘he be- lieves in the absolutism of freedom of the press but added: “This talisman can't be iossed out any time the ‘ press is attacked,” Newton Minow, former -chairman of the Federal ‘Communications Commis- sion and a professor of law at Northwestera University, Said the Jaw-journalism ~ Svoup might undertake: a study to determine exactly what effect pretrial publicity had on verdicts in legal cas- es, Courses initiated ; A representative of the University of Washington |. Journalism school said he at- tempted to initiate exchange courses with law school } .deans but wa's told law stu- * dents are not interested. Other journalism spokes- - men suggested that legal ex- perts be asked to lecture at journalism schools on specit- ic problems. Justice Finley said one area in which journalists - could aid the lawyers was in dispelling myths of Ameri- can justice, “An example,” he said, “is the’ presumption of inno- cence. It is a fiction and should be treated as such.’