MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minnesota Supreme Court has added a restriction to a two-year pilot program allowing camera coverage of some trial court proceedings.
The high court decided in March to allow news cameras in civil proceedings with the consent of the judge starting July 1, but excluded criminal cases and certain kinds of civil cases.
In an order released Monday, the Supreme Court added civil commitment proceedings to the list of exclusions. Civil commitments can include cases of people suffering from mental illness, as well as predatory sex offenders.
The court had already excluded child custody, divorce, juvenile, child protection and paternity cases, and petitions for orders for protection.
News organizations are hoping the tryout in civil courts will show that camera and audio coverage won’t be a problem at criminal trials.
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4 Comments
Was this case covered by cameras?
April 25, 2011 at 12:31 pm | | Report comment
They should have a junk lawsuit abuse courtroom television show called “The Price is right”
Use the same intensity and sound effects as in the real show.
April 25, 2011 at 1:32 pm | | Report comment
lol victim, I personally think no cameras at all. Court is stressful enough without the lawyers trying to strike a flattering pose.
April 25, 2011 at 1:41 pm | | Report comment
The courts are open to all people. What is the difference between going and seeing it in person or seeing it on the television?
This whole thing is being handled this way to make the Courts look good. Make them look like they took a careful approach to the whole thing before they opened up all of the courts for cameras.
After all, these courts belong to the people of Minnesota, not the judges.
April 25, 2011 at 2:49 pm | | Report comment