The judiciary is expanding its efforts to increase transparency in the family justice system by widening the scope of a reporting pilot program.
Reporters now allowed to cover private law cases across additional Courts
This initiative now allows media representatives and legal bloggers to cover a wider range of private law cases, as well as public law proceedings, across 16 additional Family Courts.
Initially, the pilot program permitted reporting on both public and private law matters in family Courts located in Leeds, Cardiff, and Carlisle, subject to strict anonymity regulations. The recent expansion extends this opportunity to an additional 16 Courts that joined the pilot in January, now including private law cases alongside public law proceedings.
Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, expressed his views on this development:
“We hope that by extending the pilot further, we can continue to understand the impact that family court reporting has. I would like to thank all the judges and staff involved, as well as the journalists who have already engaged with the pilot and encourage them and their colleagues to keep reporting on the family courts and the vital public interest issues that they highlight.”
While the media has previously been able to report on family cases by applying for and receiving a transparency order, this pilot program establishes a presumption that such an order will be granted. This change is intended to enable more thorough coverage of family Court proceedings.
The expanded pilot now encompasses public and private law cases in various locations across England and Wales, including major cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham, as well as smaller towns and regions.
Nick Emmerson, President of the Law Society, has provided his perspective on the announcement:
“Provided it is done in a sensitive manner and the identities of vulnerable parties are protected, reporting these cases is a valuable tool in informing the public.”
Comment
This expansion signifies a large step towards enhancing public understanding of the family justice system whilst maintaining necessary protections for vulnerable individuals involved in these sensitive cases.
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