Lifelong anonymity orders for adults who were convicted of crimes as children are rarely granted. In theory, these orders legally prevent a person ever being identified. But given that information is now shared at lightning speed across different platforms, can these orders still work in practice? Read the rest of this entry »
This was the question for debate at Cardiff University School of Journalism on 24 May, an event originally envisaged as a discussion on the possible implementation of section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 as a threat to the freedom of the press or, alternatively, an opportunity for those wronged by the media to find justice. Read the rest of this entry »
The judgment by Mr Justice Hayden, in Westminster City Council v H ([2017] EWHC 1221 (Fam)) concerning the case of ‘H’, the 15 year old boy at the centre of the Telegraph story we reported on here, was published on 19 May 2017. Hayden J concludes his short judgment with this: Read the rest of this entry »
In The Times last week, family courts were accused of being ‘secretive’ because they do not advertise the names of people who are getting divorced – under the headline ‘Call to end divorce case secrecy‘ [£]. Read the rest of this entry »
In V v Associated Newspapers [2016] EWCOP 21, published on 25 April, Mr Justice Charles, Deputy President and Judge in Charge of the Court of Protection, uses the word ‘prurient’ several times about the press coverage of earlier judgments in the case of ‘C’, the woman who ‘lost her sparkle’. (She had been described in this way, from her own words, in a judgment by Mr Justice Macdonald.) Read the rest of this entry »
The Court of Protection was established by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to make decisions about the care and treatment of people who lack mental capacity because of conditions like dementia, or have learning disabilities or mental health problems. These cases often encompass socially and politically sensitive issues. Read the rest of this entry »
