29 January 2025
History was made this week as journalists and legal bloggers were given effective access to all family courts in England and Wales.
The reporting provisions allow the press to report on what they see and hear in both public and private law proceedings if a transparency order is granted. There is a presumption that a transparency order is granted, unless there is a legitimate reason not to. The anonymity of children and families is protected.
The reporting provisions have been successfully piloted in Cardiff, Leeds and Carlisle since January 2023, and were extended to nearly half the family courts last January.
Law Society president Richard Atkinson said: ‘Provided it’s done in a sensitive manner, and the identities of vulnerable parties are protected, reporting these cases is a valuable tool in informing the public.’
