Category: court reporting
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Report: Courts and Tribunals Observers’ Network workshop
We are pleased to publish our report following the Courts and Tribunals Observers’ Network meeting held at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, on 4 June 2025. Our report discusses the developments since the last workshop, and also ongoing challenges faced by court observers. In the morning session, court observers…
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Legal and practical considerations when naming young defendants
Note on content: Both this blog and the external links contain discussion of violent and sexual offences, self-harm, and suicide. This may be distressing to some people. If you want support, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or via their online chat. Note on reporting restrictions: It is…
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A failure of open justice in a Court of Protection committal application
On Sunday (20 July 2025) Celia Kitzinger, the co-director of the Open Justice Court of Protection Project, published a blog about failures of open justice in relation to a committal application in the Court of Protection. Not only were these failings a cost to the principle of open justice but,…
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Public lecture – 4 June 2025 – Mr Justice Nicklin – ‘Open Justice: Fit for Purpose’
Date/time: Wednesday 4 June 2025 17:00 to 19:00Location: Green Templeton College, University of OxfordSpeaker: The Honourable Mr Justice Nicklin Sir Matthew Nicklin was appointed a Justice of the High Court in October 2017. He is chair of the Transparency and Open Justice Panel, which was created by the Lady Chief Justice of…
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Transparency updates from the family court
(1) What was introduced as the Reporting ‘Pilot’ in 2023 is now a permanent change in family courts, to allow more reporting by journalists and legal bloggers. Within a few months, reporting will be easier in almost all family court cases. More at the Transparency Project blog here. (2) As…
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End of year open justice updates
Four important developments to note here, as we approach the end of 2024. First: Spotlight on Corruption (a founding member of this network) won a major open justice precedent in a case involving allegations of Ministry of Defence cover up and collusion in a defence bribery scheme in Saudi Arabia – for the first time in…
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First ever ‘Family Court Reporting Week’ is launched by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
To encourage more reporting on the life-changing decisions that take place in family courts, The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) will run a series of events, mentoring and practical “at-court” support for journalists around the country as part of its first Family Court Reporting Week, running for five days from Monday…
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Justice system reporting recognised with the Paul Foot Award
An investigation into “conveyor belt justice” by Tristan Kirk, courts reporter for The Standard, has won the 2024 Paul Foot Awards. This is an annual prize for investigative journalist set up by Private Eye in memory of its reporter, the late Paul Foot who died twenty years ago. As Courts and…
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Transform Justice: Public access to courts is essential for justice
Author: Transform Justice / CourtWatch London In the past few months, someone who wanted to watch a trial has been ejected from the court, a duty solicitor has allegedly been assaulted by security staff and a lawyer has complained of a security search in which she had her leg felt…
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Open Letter on HMCTS guidance: LCJ responds
Lady Chief Justice Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill has responded to our recent open letter pointing out a worrying series of errors in published guidance from HM Courts & Tribunal Service on public access to court hearings and information. The Lady Chief Justice acknowledged that the HMCTS advice wrongly suggested that laptops could…
Courts and Tribunals Observers’ Network 