Proceedings in the Family Court are undergoing a transparency pilot. The pilot, initially commenced in 2023 at Leeds, Cardiff, and Carlise Courts, is intended to provide more insight into the workings of the Family Courts. Twelve months later, it progressed to other Courts across the country before July 2024, when it was extended to include private law matters.
It has been confirmed that, as of 4 November 2024, proceedings reported via the pilot are extended to include public and private law cases before magistrates in the pilot areas. As of 11 November, the pilot will also extend to the Royal Courts of Justice.
The purpose of the pilot is to allow accredited journalists and legal bloggers to report on children cases in the Family Court. They can also interview and quote parties in a family case, and obtain certain court documents where appropriate. However, this is strictly subject to rules of anonymity.
The President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane confirms this pilot is a huge step to increase transparency and improve public confidence and understanding of the family justice system.
The contents of this post do not constitute legal advice and are provided for general information purposes only.
Associated photo designed by Freepik.
The contents of this post do not constitute legal advice and are provided for general information purposes only ■
