Technical Standards for Visual, Audio, and Broadcast Coverage of Judicial

Proceedings The trial court may regulate any aspect of the proceedings to ensure that the means of recording will not distract participants or impair the dignity of the proceedings, including limiting coverage of non-parties present in the courtroom. In the absence of a specific order imposing additional or different conditions, the following provisions apply to all proceedings. (a) Equipment and personnel. (1) Not more than one portable television or movie camera, operated by not more than one person, shall be permitted in any trial court proceeding. (2) Not more than one still photographer, utilizing not more than two still cameras with not more than two lenses for each camera and related equipment for print purposes, shall be permitted in any proceeding in any trial court. (3) Not more than one audio system for radio broadcast purposes shall be permitted in any proceeding in any trial court. Audio pickup for all media purposes shall be accomplished from existing audio systems present in the court. If no technically suitable audio system exists in the court, microphones and related wiring essential for media purposes shall be unobtrusive and shall be located in places designated in advance of any proceeding by the trial judge. (4) Any "pooling" arrangements among the media required by these limitations on equipment and personnel shall be the sole responsibility of the media without calling upon the trial judge to mediate any dispute as to the appropriate media representative or equipment authorized to cover a particular proceeding. In the absence of advance media agreement on disputed equipment or personnel issues, the trial judge shall exclude from a proceeding all media personnel who have contested the pooling arrangement. (b) Sound and light. (1) Only television camera and audio equipment which does not produce distracting sound or light shall be employed to cover judicial proceedings. Excepting modifications and additions made pursuant to Paragraph (e) below, no artificial, mobile lighting device of any kind shall be employed with the television equipment. (2) Only still camera equipment which does not produce distracting sound or light shall be employed to cover judicial proceedings. (3) Media personnel must demonstrate to the trial judge adequately in advance of any proceeding that the equipment sought to be utilized meets the sound and light requirements of this Published by the Revisor of Statutes under Minnesota Statutes, section 3C.08, subdivision 1. GENERAL RULES OF PRACTICE 20 MINNESOTA COURT RULES rule. A failure to demonstrate that these criteria have been met for specific equipment shall preclude its use in any proceeding. (c) Location of equipment and personnel. (1) Television camera equipment shall be positioned in such location in the court as shall be designated by the trial judge. The area designated shall provide reasonable access to coverage. When areas that permit reasonable access to coverage are provided, all television camera and audio equipment must be located in an area remote from the court. (2) A still camera photographer shall be positioned in such location in the court as shall be designated by the trial judge. The area designated shall provide reasonable access to coverage. Still camera photographers shall assume a fixed position within the designated area and, once a photographer has established that position, the photographer shall act so as not to attract attention by distracting movement. Still camera photographers shall not be permitted to move about in order to obtain photographs of court proceedings. (3) Broadcast media representatives shall not move about the court facility while proceedings are in session. (d) Movement of equipment during proceedings. News media photographic or audio equipment shall not be placed in, or removed from, the court except before commencement or after adjournment of proceedings each day, or during a recess. Microphones or recording equipment, once positioned as required by (a)(3) above, may not be moved from their position during the pendency of the proceeding. Neither television film magazines nor still camera film or lenses may be changed within a court except during a recess in the proceedings. (e) Courtroom light sources. When necessary to allow news coverage to proceed, modifications and additions may be made in light sources existing in the facility, provided such modifications or additions do not produce distracting light and are installed and maintained without public expense. Such modifications or additions are to be presented to the trial judge for review prior to their implementation. (f) Conferences of counsel. To protect the attorney-client privilege and the effective right to counsel, there shall be no video or audio pickup or broadcast of the conferences which occur in a court between attorneys and their client, co-counsel of a client, opposing counsel, or between counsel and the trial judge held at the bench. In addition, there shall be no video pickup or broadcast of work documents of such persons. (g) Impermissible use of media material. None of the film, video, still photographs or audio reproductions developed during, or by virtue of, coverage of a judicial proceeding shall be admissible as evidence in the proceeding out of which it arose, any proceeding subsequent or collateral thereto, or upon any retrial or appeal of such proceedings. (Added effective March 1, 2009; amended effective July 1, 2011; amended effective December 3, 2013; amended effective September 1, 2018.)