Sterilisation legal bid withdrawn – BBC News

“A legal attempt to sterilise a 21-year-old mother with ‘significant learning difficulties’ to prevent further pregnancies has been withdrawn.”

Full story

BBC News, 20th April 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Secrecy fears after court bans contact with 65 people – Daily Telegraph

“Fresh fears have been raised about secrecy in court cases after a judge banned journalists approaching 65 different people in a new gagging order.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th April 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

How a secret court was made to open up – The Independent

“The Act of Parliament that created the Court of Protection was pushed through in a hurry, amid an outcry from dozens of MPs, as the government tried to get its outstanding business completed in time for the 2005 general election.”

Full story

The Independent, 1st March 2011

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court allows journalists into care hearing – The Guardian

“The Guardian and other news organisations have won a court ruling that could open up the care system for people with learning difficulties to public scrutiny.”

Full story

The Guardian, 28th February 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

JIH v News Group Newspapers Ltd – WLR Daily

JIH v News Group Newspapers Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 42; [2011] WLR (D) 27

“Where a claimant applied for an injunction restraining publication of private information and sought reporting restrictions, in balancing the rights of the individual to confidentiality against the public interest in freedom of expression, generally the court would either direct that the claimant’s name be anonymised but disclosure of the nature of the information was permitted, or direct that the claimant could be named but the nature of the information was not to be identified.”

WLR Daily, 1st February 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Ex parte MGN Ltd and others – WLR Daily

Ex parte MGN Ltd and others [2011] WLR (D) 17

“It was rarely appropriate to impose blanket reporting restrictions under section 4(2) of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 for the purpose of ameliorating the disadvantages of giving evidence and minimising the burdens faced by witnesses in criminal trials. The protection of witnesses was more appropriately provided for by the provisions of section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and sections 22–30 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.”

WLR Daily, 26th January 2011

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Tweeting in court: why reporters must be given guidelines – The Guardian

“A district judge’s decision to allow journalists to use Twitter in the Julian Assange hearing raises interesting legal questions.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th December 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Twitter allowed during bail hearing – The Guardian

“The judge hearing Julian Assange’s application broke new ground today by letting reporters use Twitter and other electronic means to update the outside world on developments in court.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th December 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Secretive court opens doors to journalists – The Independent

“One of Britain’s most secretive courts opened itself to public scrutiny yesterday after a High Court judge lifted reporting restrictions on work done by a hitherto-closed corner of the British justice system.  The Court of Protection oversees cases involving vulnerable people who lack the mental capacity to make key decisions about their life, such as brain-damaged soldiers or people with Alzheimer’s. But its workings were conducted entirely behind closed doors until a successful legal challenge by The Independent earlier this year.”

Full story

The Independent, 9th December 2010

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Publishers protest at reporting restrictions in family court cases – The Guardian

“The Newspaper Society has complained that the Children, Schools and Families Act has made legal cases covered by the Act less transparent because they are virtually unreportable.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th September 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MoJ to review media reporting in family courts – Law Society’s Gazette

“The Ministry of Justice has told the Gazette that it will not commence legislation that would extend the media’s right to report family cases without ‘looking closely’ at the changes, amid pressure from family lawyers.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 16th September 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Second footballer wins court gagging order – Daily Telegraph

“The super-injunction granted by Mr Justice Nicol in the High Court on Thursday prevented a woman from going public with personal details about the Premier League player, who cannot be named.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 19th August 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

‘Happy slapping’ youths detained for grandfather death – BBC News

“Two teenage members of a ‘happy slapping’ gang who fatally beat a retired care worker in front of his young granddaughter in south London have been detained.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jon Venables case: the legal arguments – The Guardian

“The Jon Venables case raises thorny issues about media responsibility and the competing interests of open justice and the right not just to a fair trial, but to life.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd July 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bulger killer child pornography case: Judge lifts ban – The Guardian

“A judge today ruled that the public can be told that Jon Venables, one of the killers of two-year-old James Bulger, has been charged with downloading and distributing child pornography.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Offenders who commit ‘grave crimes’ must be named, says judge – Daily Telegraph

“A judge said the public deserved to know the identities of offenders who committed ‘grave crimes’ as he allowed the naming of a juvenile who killed an innocent peacemaker with a single punch.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 8th March 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Greater media scrutiny necessary to increase accountability in family courts – Ministry of Justice

“Legislative proposals included in the Children, Schools and Families Bill should encourage media attendance at family court cases, the Ministry of Justice said today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 21st January 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Straw promises another increase in media scrutiny of family courts – The Times

“Thousands of cases in the family courts will be exposed to increased public scrutiny under reforms to be announced today by Jack Straw.”

Full story

The Times, 9th July 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Celebrity seeks family court media ban – The Guardian

“Celebrities should be exempt from new rules opening the family courts to the media, a famous man and his former partner argued today in an effort to protect the privacy of their children.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th June 2009

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Earl Spencer fails to win blanket press ban in divorce proceedings – The Times

“Earl Spencer and his former wife, Caroline, were united yesterday in an attempt to oust the media from their battle for a divorce settlement at the High Court.”

Full story

The Times, 24th June 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Court refuses ‘futile’ reporting restriction on paternity story – OUT-LAW.com

“Banning the further reporting of a story which has already gained the attention of millions of people around the world would be ludicrous, absurd and unenforceable, the High Court has said.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th May 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

Reading this story will restrict your freedom to blog – OUT-LAW.com

“Bloggers might be able to escape reporting restrictions on sensitive court cases because they have not been informed of the restrictions. An ongoing case about a boy said to have fathered a child at 12 years of age has highlighted the issue.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 1st April 2009

Source: www.out-law.com

Judge bans further reporting on story of 13-year-old father – The Independent

“A High Court judge yesterday banned any further reporting about a 13-year-old boy who allegedly fathered a baby with a 15-year-old.”

Full story

The Independent, 19th February 2009

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Edwina Millward: first woman president of the Association of District Judges – Law Society’s Gazette

“For District Judge Edwina Millward, justice secretary Jack Straw’s announcement that the family courts are to be opened up to the media raises considerable concerns.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 12th February 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills divorce details to be published – Daily Telegraph

“Details of Sir Paul McCartney’s acrimonious divorce are set to be published by the High Court to end the speculation over the size of the financial award which could be the biggest in British legal history.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 27th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Crawford v Director of Public Prosecutions in the Queen’s Bench Divisional Court – Times Law Reports

Crawford v Director of Public Prosecutions in the Queen’s Bench Divisional Court

Queen’s Bench Divisional Court

“Courts should take great care when imposing orders restricting the reporting of criminal proceedings.”

The Times, 20th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills ordered to stay silent – The Times

“Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills are under a strict order from Mr Justice Bennett, the High Court judge for their divorce settlement hearing, that they risk contempt of court proceedings and fines if details of the negotiations are leaked to the media.”

Full story

The Times, 13th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Dust off the closed files, justice is opening up – The Times

“The media’s freedom to report legal matters is always in a state of flux, but new access to documents will improve scrutiny.”

Full story

The Times, 12th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

ID ban lifted on child porn man – BBC News

“A man convicted of child pornography offences can be named, the Court of Appeal has ruled.”

Full story

BBC News, 1st February 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

High Court lifts gagging order on Iraqi abuse case – The Times

“The High Court today lifted a restraining order on The Times and other newspapers which had prevented reporting of allegations that British troops took part in the killing of 22 Iraqis.”

Full story

The Times, 31st January 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

The extraordinary case of Britain’s most secret murder trial – The Independent

“A court hearing tomorrow, being described by lawyers as unprecedented in UK legal history, will decide whether the death of the man who took the last photograph of George Bernard Shaw must remain a mystery.”

Full story

The Independent, 27th January 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judge agrees to hold murder trial in secret – The Guardian

“Much of a murder trial will be held in secret for reasons of ‘national security’, an Old Bailey judge ruled yesterday.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Media challenge national security claim for secrecy in murder trial – The Guardian

“Media organisations including the Guardian yesterday challenged a demand unprecedented in modern times – that witnesses at a forthcoming murder trial should be heard in secret, for ‘national security’ reasons.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th January 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

High court gags Iraqis’ claims of abuse by troops – The Guardian

“The Ministry of Defence has obtained a gagging order preventing the media from repeating allegations of abuse of Iraqis by British soldiers. A high court order bans newspapers and broadcasters from publishing details of the case reported in the Guardian two months ago.”

Full story

The Guardian, 19th December 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

In re LM (Reporting restrictions: Coroner’s inquest) – Times Law Reports

In re LM (Reporting restrictions: Coroner’s inquest)

Family Division

“Coroner’s inquests were court proceedings subject to the same principles and limitations governing other courts.”

The Times, 20th November 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from the date of publication.

In re LM (Reporting restrictions: Coroner’s inquest) – WLR Daily

In re LM (Reporting restrictions: Coroner’s inquest) [2007] EWHC 1902 (Fam)

“The press would be permitted to report details of a surviving child’s parents and deceased siblings at an inquest into the death of one of the siblings.”

WLR Daily, 1st August 2007

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

Heavy secrecy over terror fuels suspicion, says expert – The Independent

“Scotland Yard’s head of counterterrorism has criticised what he called excessive secrecy in Britain’s terrorism trials, and he called for changes that would permit freer reporting and wider discussion.”

Full story

The Independent, 27th May 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk