Posts
The role of transparency in rebuilding public trust and confidence
As we noted in 'Transparency Project News' in July [2017] Fam Law 778, August 2017 is the third anniversary of Sir James Munby's Transparency – the next steps consultation (still available on the judiciary website). We also noted that those responses that were...
What’s the difference between an allocation and a transfer?
AKA When is a single Family Court not a unified Family Court? This post is an attempt to explain a rather technical piece of guidance that was issued yesterday. It has been tricky trying to make it easy to get your head around, but we’ve done our best. Here goes… In...
Whatever happened to the judiciary’s McKenzie Friends consultation?
In February 2016, the then Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, and the Judicial Executive Board issued a consultation entitled “Reforming the courts’ approach to McKenzie Friends”. It followed an internal report by a judicial working group and sought...
New approach to media cases at the Royal Courts of Justice is a welcome development
This is an edited version of an article which first appeared in Communications Law journal, volume 23, issue 1 (Bloomsbury Professional) and PA Media Lawyer and is re-published here with permission and thanks. In 2012 Mr Justice Tugendhat, ahead of his retirement in...
Family Court Reporting Watch Roundup
Correcting, clarifying or commenting on media reports of family court cases Explaining or commenting on published judgments of family court cases Highlighting other transparency news MEDIA (MIS)REPORTS OF FAMILY COURT CASES NSPCC - We followed up blog discussions...
Mum wins appeal about her child’s potential adoption but still has to pay her own legal costs – why?
Proportionality and no order for costs in discharge order proceedings - Discharge order appeal The recent care case of M (A Child) [2018] EWCA Civ 240 (judgment: 20 February 2018) has achieved some notoriety because the mother, who won her appeal, still had to pay her...
![On Her Majesty’s Secret [Court] Service, or ‘Billionaire Putin crony loses right to secrecy in Britain’](https://transparencyproject.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/shutterstock_85455763.jpg)
On Her Majesty’s Secret [Court] Service, or ‘Billionaire Putin crony loses right to secrecy in Britain’
“Secrecy in the court system is a growing concern. The press has a duty to uphold the principle of open justice and act as the eyes and ears of the public in the courts. The Times will resist any attempts to erode those principles.” So concludes a front page story in...
Fact Finding hearings and criminal law
This post is about a new judgment from the Court of Appeal called : R (Children) [2018] EWCA Civ 198 (16 February 2018). It is about what approach the family court should take in deciding the background facts to a case where a crime might have been committed, and how...
Media litigation: user group meeting – 15 February 2018
Media and Communications List User Group The Queen’s Bench Division Media and Communications List User Group (MACLUG) met again on 15 February to discuss progress since its inaugural meeting on 7 November 2017. (See ICLR blog, Media Litigation: a new approach ) The...
Things children say – Disclosure, allegations and why language matters
Earlier this month the NSPCC put out a call on twitter for professionals to respond to a survey they are running as part of the evidence gathering phase of 'a project to support professionals to take the appropriate action when they have concerns about the...