1989-03-24 Comments of Star Tribune.pdf - Minnesota Judicial Branch

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Tom Farrell
January 13, 1989 517/373-0129
MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT APPROVES WIDER MEDIA ACCESS TO ALL STATE COURTS
LANSING ---The Michigan Supreme Court today adopted an order thatwillallow
journalists to use cameras and tape recorders in all Michigan courts on a
permanent basis.
The state's highest court voted unanimously to adop; guidelines similar
to those under which cameras and tape recorders have been permitted in nearly
all of the state's trial and appellate courts on an experimental basis.
The Administrative Order, entered today, which will be effective March 1,
provides for,uniform rules for 241 trial courts in all 83 counties.
When the one-year experiment began on Feb. 1, 1988, either party in civil
and criminal cases could deny coverage by filing an objection with the judge.
In June of 1988,
.
counties---,Grand
the Michigan Supreme Court modified the rules for courts in five
Traverse, Ingham, Marquette, Oakland and Wexford---so that only
the judge could deny or limit coverage by cameras and tape recorders.
The Michigan Supreme Court adopted a recommendation by its Cameras in the
Courtroom Committee which voted on Nov. 22 to ask the Court to make permanent
in all courts the experiment that has been underway in the five counties since
last June.
The rule adopted today applies only to state courts. Federal courts, where
cameras and tape recorders are prohibited, are not covered by court rules adopted
by the Michigan Supreme Court.
Cameras have been permitted in all Michigan trial courts except. for the
Juvenile Division of Probate Courts during the one-year experimentai program that
began last Feb. 1.. The Michigan Supreme Court adopted a second order today
rescinding effective March 1 a Probate Court rule prohibiting the use of cameras
and tape recorders in Juvenile Courts.
The Michigan Supreme Court took up the issue of cameras in the courtroom
in 1987 after it received a recommendation from the Citizens' Commission to
Improve Michigan Courts urging approval of a pilot program to permit cameras in
the courtroom. Earlier, the State Bar Representative Assembly recommended a one-
year experiment of electronic coverage of trial courts and TV coverage of
appellate courts.
In May of 1987, the Supreme Court published for comment a proposed order
permitting electronic coverage of proceedings in state courts on a one-year
experimental basis.
(OVER)