‘A project seeks to make family law easier to understand and less hostile – between both parties and lawyers – has been launched by a London solicitor.’
Legal Future, 9th December 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘Reported move triggers backlash from lawyers, with one senior QC quoted as saying the prime minister is seeking a “more compliant judiciary”‘.
The Independent, 6th December 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘The publisher of the Mail on Sunday has lost a legal battle to overturn a High Court ruling on its publication of a letter written by Meghan Markle to her estranged father.’
The Independent, 2nd December 2021
Source: www.independent.co.uk
‘Senior judges and lawyers on a panel chaired by former Supreme Court president Lord Neuberger have called for legal reforms to curb “strategic lawsuits against public participation” (SLAPPs).’
Legal Futures, 30th November 2021
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
‘On 29 October 2021 the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, published a report with his conclusions on the issue of transparency in the family courts. His view is clear: it is possible to enhance public confidence in the family courts whilst also safeguarding the privacy of the families and the children who turn to the courts for protection and resolution. Increased transparency in the family courts is plainly a top priority for the President; it should be the “new norm”.’
Family Law, 26th November 2021
Source: www.familylaw.co.uk
‘Legal action against the attorney general and the Queen’s private lawyers has been initiated over a decision to ban media organisations from a court hearing about the Duke of Edinburgh’s will.’
The Guardian, 18th November 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Hard on the heels of the CONSULTATION ON A PROPOSAL FOR A STANDARD REPORTING PERMISSION ORDER IN FINANCIAL REMEDY PROCEEDINGS published by Mostyn J and HHJ Hess, the FRC Lead Judges, and animated by the same acknowledgement of the need for more transparency in FRC, come two important judgments by Mostyn J on the same subject: BT v CU [2021] EWFC 87, paras 100-114, and, in quick succession, A v M [2021] EWFC 89, paras 101-106.’
Transparency Project, 16th November 2021
Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk
‘The issue of how the protection of privacy rights should be balanced as against the fundamental public interest in achieving transparency and open justice within the family justice system has long vexed the family division of the High Court. On the one hand, ensuring the confidentiality of family law proceedings is crucial both in terms of protecting the fundamental privacy rights of those individuals who find themselves caught up in such proceedings and in terms of maximising their engagement in the process. On the other hand, a lack of meaningful transparency around the work of the family courts undermines public trust in the family justice system, increases the risk of miscarriages of justice and inhibits the public’s ability to press for reforms of the system on a properly informed basis. The family courts have for a number of years recognised that this balance was weighted too strongly in favour of preserving the confidentiality of family court proceedings, but that still left the fantastically difficult question of how the system should be reformed so as to increase the level of transparency. These are issues that were considered most recently by the courts in the case of Newman v Southampton City Council [2021] EWCA Civ 437. In that case, a journalist who had been unable to attend the first instance hearings of a particular high profile adoption case, was seeking access to the documents which had been placed before the first instance court. The Court of Appeal concluded that the High Court had been right to conclude that the balance of interests tipped in favour of preserving the confidentiality of the majority of relevant documents. However, it also observed that the case served to ‘underline the need for the Transparency Review’ (paragraph 92).’
Panopticon, 2nd November 2021
Source: panopticonblog.com
‘Openness in the family justice system should be regarded as “the new norm”, the president of the Family Division said yesterday, proposing that the media should be allowed to report court hearings more fully.’
Law Society's Gazette, 29th October 2021
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
‘Tommy Robinson has been given a five-year stalking protection order after he shouted abuse outside the home of a journalist and threatened to repeatedly return to her address.’
The Guardian, 13th October 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Stephanie Hawthorn, associate, and Robert Jackson, trainee solicitor, at Mills & Reeve LLP, consider the important news and case law relating to financial remedies and divorce during September 2021.’
Family Law Week, 8th October 2021
Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk
‘A journalist has been awarded more than £80,000 in damages against a London-based investigative website and its CEO – a press freedom campaigner – after claiming she was duped into joining the organisation only to find out it was a propaganda vehicle for the UAE and Egypt.’
The Guardian, 11th October 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘Detectives will take no further action over Martin Bashir’s BBC interview with Diana, Princess of Wales. The Metropolitan Police looked at an independent review of the methods used to obtain the 1995 interview, but had “not identified evidence of activity that constituted a criminal offence”.’
BBC News, 15th September 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘On 6 July 2021 the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) published its judgment in the case of Norman v UK (Application no. 41387/17). The case concerned Mr Robert Norman, an officer at Belmarsh prison, who in 2015 was convicted of misconduct in public office for passing a variety of information to a tabloid journalist in exchange for money. The ECtHR found that, in Mr Norman’s case, the offence itself did not constitute a breach of Article 7 ECHR (no punishment without law): Mr Norman’s conduct was sufficiently serious for it to have been foreseeable that it would constitute a criminal offence. The ECtHR also found that the newspaper’s disclosure of Mr Norman’s activities to the police, and his subsequent prosecution and conviction, did not breach his rights under Article 10 ECtHR (freedom of expression).’
UK Human Rights Blog, 6th September 2021
Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com
‘The Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) community has accused Ofcom of institutional racism over a decision to clear a controversial Channel 4 documentary about Traveller crime.’
The Guardian, 1st September 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘ITV has been cleared by media regulator Ofcom, which has rejected a record 58,000 complaints about Piers Morgan’s criticism of the Duchess of Sussex.’
BBC News, 1st September 2021
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
‘The Sun has paid substantial damages to the England cricketer Ben Stokes and his mother, Deborah, after the newspaper put details of a tragedy involving the family on its front page.’
The Guardian, 30th August 2021
Source: www.theguardian.com
‘A radio host has been sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment for using antisemitic language and racial slurs on his live radio show.’
Crown Prosecution Service, 6th August 2021
Source: www.cps.gov.uk
‘Twitter, Facebook and Instagram have become littered with memes purporting to identify the player, who has not been charged.’
Daily Telegraph, 20th July 2021
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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