A pilot scheme to increase transparency in family legal disputes has been expanded to include three of London’s courts.
Reporters and legal bloggers will now be able to report live on disputes at the family courts in central, west and east London thanks to the new scheme.
Previously, journalists could attend hearings to determine the future care of children, but the details had to be kept secret unless a judge stepped in to allow reporting.
From Monday, hearings will be reportable as they happen, with journalists and bloggers having - for the first time - access to case documents to understand how cases are being brought.
The move comes after a successful year-long pilot of greater transparency in the family courts in Leeds, Cardiff, and Carlisle, with the expansion coming to 16 locations around the country including London, Manchester, and Birmingham.
The identities of parents locked into care proceedings, and the children involved, will continue to be protected and not published during the transparency drive.
President of the Family Division Sir Andrew McFarlane has been the driving force behind the pilot, calling it a “huge step in the judiciary’s ongoing work to increase transparency and improve public confidence and understanding of the family justice system”.
“We hope that, in extending the pilot further, we can continue to understand the impact that family court reporting has.”
The change in the rules also now allows families involved in care proceedings to talk to journalists about their case, without risking punishment for contempt of court.
Judges in the family courts will also retain the right to block or postpone reporting of hearings, if needed.
Deborah Jeff, head of the Divorce and Family department at London law firm Simkins, called the pilot extension a "welcome development, on the condition that the privacy of court users is respected and guaranteed.
"The family courts have for too long been shrouded in secrecy, giving major cause for concern regarding judicial decisions.
"That being said, it must not be forgotten that family law cases differ from allother litigation because the most intimate details of a person’s private life –such as their children and their financial circumstances – are put before thecourt. It is therefore crucial that anonymity is ensured with transparencyorders where required."
