Monday 27 April 2009

Family Courts open to the media today

Family Courts in England and Wales are being opened to the media today, although reporting restrictions will still apply.
The Society of Editors says the UK press card will be the recognised accreditation that is needed to distinguish reporters from members of the public who will still not be admitted to the courts.
The SoE says: "We have been reassured that court staff will be told that the card should usually be sufficient and that there should not be a need to verify the card. Court reporting restrictions particularly those affecting children will apply and some cases may still not be reportable at all."
It has advised editors to set up meetings with judges, magistrates and court officials to discuss the way the system is changing and working arrangements.

1 comment:

ian josephs said...

Parents and teenage children will still be gagged! parents who exercise their rights of free speech will still be jailed! All in the name of guarding the privacy of those who only seek publicity !
Judges will continue to confiscate newborn babies for "risk of emotional abuse" (the most frequent reason for removing them)
If juries gave the final verdict in such cases and the gags were removed from parents and children the most flagrant injustices woulsd soon disappear!