When is media attendance in court intrusive? asks Rebecca Newitt
The Family Proceedings (Amendment) (No 2) Rules 2009 (SI 2009/857) came into force on 27 April 2009. The new rules govern who may be present during a hearing in proceedings which are held in private.
The only exceptions to this, by virtue of r 10.28 (1), are hearings conducted for the purpose of judicially assisted conciliation or negotiations. This will, of course, include financial dispute resolution hearings.
In particular, the rules allow “duly accredited representatives of news gathering and reporting organisations”, in accordance with the UK Press Card Authority Scheme, to be present, subject to a power of the court to direct their exclusion from all or part of the proceedings for one of the reasons specified in r 10.28 (4). The media may be excluded where the court is satisfied that:
a) This is necessary:
i) in the interests of any child concerned in, or connected with, proceedings;
ii) for the safety or protection of a party, a witness in the proceedings, or a person connected with
