Immunity.

The Associated Press, Reuters, and other news organizations reported about the judge's ruling in the Paul Manafort trial in Virginia to allow several potential trial witnesses to testify in exchange for immunity. They reported that the judge made the names of these potential witnesses public, but they did not say why. Why did the judge do that?

It is not clear from the news reports. However, I can venture a reasonable guess. The prosecution asked the judge to confirm the witnesses' immunity in an order. Public access to court files is a bedrock principle of our...