Openness in the family courts
Summary
The work of the family courts is crucial in ensuring the
welfare of the child is paramount when difficult decisions have to be made. It
is important that the courts can conduct their business with openness and the
confidence of the public.
This publication
'Openness
in Family Courts - A New Approach' (Cm. 7131) follows on from the 2006
consultation
'Confidence
and Confidentiality: Improving Transparency and Privacy in Family Courts' (Cm
6886).
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How does it affect
me?
If you work in the Family Courts or attend the Family Courts in any
capacity, this affects you.
Proposals arising from the 2006 consultation
include:
- Providing general information in a central place to help
the public understand what happens in family courts
- Producing a
'decision summary' of the judgment in all cases involving children to be given
to the parties involved
- Judges may make the transcript of the judgment
available to the parties involved
- Making laws on attendance and
reporting consistent across family proceedings courts (FPCS), county courts and
the High Court.
- The media will not be given the right to attend family
courts. Instead, those with an interest will be able to apply to the court.
Consultation is now sought on the following proposals:
- Widening disclosure of information by parties
- Protecting the
identity of children beyond the end of proceedings
- Making legislation
simple so that arrangements for attendance and reporting in family proceedings
involving children is readily accessible and easily understood.
See more on openness
in family courts on the MInistry
of Justice website.