HMCTS staff guidance on supporting media access to courts and tribunals
Guidance for HMCTS staff to encourage and facilitate media access to our courts and tribunals
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The principle of open justice is a longstanding feature of our legal system. The public has a right to know what happens in our courts and tribunals, and public confidence in the justice system relies on transparency.
One way this important principle is upheld is the attendance and reporting of proceedings by the media. It is through the media that many people hear about the operation of the justice system and form views on it.
We developed this guide with representatives of the media to ensure that it is best focused to help our staff provide the best possible service to what is an important professional court and tribunal user group.
This guide covers most of the typical media situations our staff are likely to encounter and will be regularly reviewed.
In the following video Tristan Kirk, Courts Correspondent at the Evening Standard introduces the staff guidance and explains why the new guidance is so important for open justice and transparency:
Last updated
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Updated HMCTS media guidance to include information on remote observation of hearings.
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Reporters' Charter added to page. Criminal and Family guides updated. How to read a Crown Court list and How to read a Magistrates' Court register guides also added.
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Protocol on sharing court lists, registers and documents with the media updated.
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Main media guidance document updated with staff advice on dealing with 'contempt of court' including escalation process. Managing with high profile cases guidance document updated with refefences to managing hearings remotely by Cloud Video Platform (CVP).
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Media guidance documents updated - 5 March 2020.
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Tribunal guide - SIAC information updated.
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Revised tribunals guide uploaded. Link to lists for UT(AAC) altered.
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First published.