Very much ancillary

by Lucy R | May 31, 2022 | Analysis, Cases, Comment, FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

A lot has been written of late about the privacy (or otherwise) of family money cases, and all of it by men with big brains and a lot of words. As someone who hasn’t conducted a money case for some years (not great with numbers, me), I would not dare to offer any view...

Media reporters’ Charter – open justice, but only for some

by Paul M | May 22, 2022 | Comment, FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

A new “Reporters’ Charter” outlining the rights and responsibilities of court reporters has been launched to boost transparency in the justice system, according an announcement by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The charter, part of the General guidance to staff on...

When can parental responsibility be removed from a terrible parent?

by Polly Morgan | May 18, 2022 | FCReportingWatch

In the summer of 2021, Jade Ward was killed by her estranged husband Russell Marsh at their family home. He is now serving a life sentence for her murder. She leaves behind four little boys who are now being raised by her mother and other family members. This is not...

FAMILY COURT REPORTING WATCH ROUNDUP

by Alice T | May 11, 2022 | Analysis, Cases, Comment, Explanation, FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

Welcome to the Roundup, where we correct, clarify and comment on media reports of family court cases, explain and comment on published family court judgments and highlight other transparency news MEDIA COVERAGE OF FAMILY COURT MATTERS ITV, Wales Online, BBC Wales, the...

Court hearing lists and open justice

by Paul M | May 5, 2022 | Court of Protection, FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

A cheery post on the HM Courts and Tribunals Service blog recently announced that developers were now working on on  Making hearing lists more accessible to court and tribunal users This is long overdue. HMCTS has had court listings on its list, as it were, ever since...

The anonymisation wars – who is right about privacy in financial remedy cases?

by Lucy R | May 2, 2022 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

This post isn’t going to try and answer the question we’ve posed in the title (sorry) – but it is intended to try and briefly summarise some of what has been happening lately around the topic of family court transparency in financial remedies cases,...

Some Sunlight Seeps in

by Guest Post | May 2, 2022 | Analysis, Cases, Comment, Explanation, FCReportingWatch, Notorious, Transparency News

This is a guest post by Sir James Munby, former President of the Family Division[1]. In relation to transparency in the Financial Remedies Court there are further signs that the tectonic plates are shifting. BT v CU In November 2021 Mostyn J set the cat among the...

Highlights from the latest Rules Committee minutes

by Alice T | Apr 30, 2022 | FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

The minutes of the Family Justice Rules Committee (FJRC) meetings held on 7 February and 7 March 2022 are now transparently published.  This is speedy compared to previously, and compared to the time it takes other hard-pressed family justice...

Something is going on with experts

by reporting watch team | Apr 29, 2022 | Comment, Transparency News

This article was originally published in Family Law ([2022] Fam Law 422) in April 2022, and is reproduced here with kind permission. In October 2021 the President published a memorandum about experts. In it, Sir Andrew reminded us of four key questions to be asked in...

Re H [2022]EWFC 10: Guidance in Learning Disability Cases

by Abigail Bond | Apr 26, 2022 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

This is a post by regular contributor, Abigail Bond. Abigail is a barrister at St John’s Chambers, Bristol who specialises in Children Law (mainly care proceedings), and Court of Protection health and welfare matters. She tweets as @AbigailBond1.  The Good...