Transcript reveals what one judge really thinks of transparency

by Lucy R | Nov 30, 2023 | Cases, Comment, FCReportingWatch, Legal blogging, Notorious, Reporting Pilot, Transparency News

I begin this post by saying frankly that the transcript I have just read is shocking. If I had been told what was in it, I would not have believed it. Not so much the individual errors, but the combination of so many things gone wrong in one single transcript. Before...

When a judge prefers his own biases to the law, all is lost

by Louise Tickle | Nov 30, 2023 | Cases, Comment, FCReportingWatch, Notorious, Reporting Pilot, Transparency News

“If you want to know my view on the transparency project, it is not supportive. I have always felt these cases are deeply private, and my judgments are there really for the parents, to help them, to help the families, they are not for public consumption or to allow...

Behind closed doors – a transcript from a private hearing

by reporting watch team | Nov 30, 2023 | Cases, FCReportingWatch, Legal blogging, Notorious, Reporting Pilot, Transparency News

In August this year, a journalist attempted to observe the first day of a multi-day final hearing in a private children case. She was refused access by the judge, His Honour Judge Haigh. The following day, another journalist [Louise Tickle, who is a member of The...

When should care orders be made for children living at home? New Court of Appeal guidance

by Julie Doughty | Aug 30, 2023 | Analysis, Cases, FCReportingWatch

The President of the Family Division has issued guidance on when a care order is  the right order for the court to make although the children are to live at home with their parents. In other words, there is no imminent plan to remove the children under a care...

Holding a fact finding hearing in the absence of the perpetrator

by Julie Doughty | Aug 6, 2023 | Cases, Comment, Explanation, FCReportingWatch, Legal blogging, Reporting Pilot

I recently attended a hearing at Cardiff Family Court as a legal blogger under the Reporting Pilot, in the hope of finding out more about QLRs (under the ‘qualified legal representative’ scheme), as we discussed in this post: What’s a QLR and what’s all the fuss...

Contempt of court – yet more confusion and inconsistency over naming of guilty party

by Paul M | Aug 1, 2023 | Comment, Court of Protection, Explanation

Yet again a judgment in a contempt of court case has revealed problems around transparency and open justice. The case is Esper v NHS North West London Integrated Care Board [2023] EWCOP 29; [2023] WLR(D) 300, and is a decision of Mr Justice Poole. This case has also...