Minn. High Court Narrows Cameras-In-Courts Test
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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