A new petition in Virginia federal court is seeking to gain video access to virtual proceedings, the latest effort to obtain access while courthouses remain under pandemic restrictions.

The petition, filed in the Eastern District of Virginia this week on behalf of reporter Aaron Cantú, asks that a general order issued last year by the court’s chief judge be changed “to allow non-parties such as himself reasonable visual access to criminal proceedings” run by video in the court. The legal challenge cites a First Amendment right of access to the proceedings.