ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota Supreme Court will allow expanded access of news camera and audio recordings of criminal proceedings as part of a pilot project.

Wednesday's decision is a big departure from the past, where all parties to a case had to consent before recordings were permitted. It's the latest move in a 30-year effort by news organizations to get cameras and other electronic devices into courtrooms.

The new rule doesn't grant complete access. There won't be coverage allowed when a jury is present or in specialized courts for drug, mental health, veteran and DWI cases. Juvenile proceedings and those involving domestic violence or certain sex crimes are also off limits.

Court administrators will retain discretion to approve or exclude electronic coverage. A report on the experiment is due by January 2018.

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