Prisoner held indefinitely refused parole after making landmark public bid for freedom – The Independent

Posted March 28th, 2024 in dangerous offenders, imprisonment, news, parole, private hearings by tracey

‘A parole board has refused to release a prisoner trapped under an abolished indefinite jail term described as “torture”. Earlier this month Nicholas Bidar became the first IPP prisoner to have his parole bid held in public after new laws came into force to increase transparency around parole decisions.’

Full Story

The Independent, 27th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Adoption applicant wins appeal after judge refused to allow them to attend hearing – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 26th, 2024 in adoption, family courts, news, notification, private hearings by tracey

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal against a judge’s decision to refuse permission for prospective adopters to attend a final adoption hearing either in person or remotely, and to refuse their request for a transcript of the hearing.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 25th March 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Pilot scheme paves way for victims’ right to attend Parole Board hearings – The Independent

Posted May 5th, 2022 in news, parole, pilot schemes, private hearings, victims by sally

‘Victims could attend full Parole Board hearings for criminals hoping to be freed from jail for the first time as early as next month.’

Full Story

The Independent, 4th May 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prince Philip’s will: legal battle launched over media exclusion from hearing – The Guardian

Posted November 18th, 2021 in attorney general, media, news, private hearings, public interest, royal family, wills by tracey

‘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.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 18th November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Requirement for all parole hearings to be held in private to be relaxed – Ministry of Justice

Posted February 9th, 2021 in parole, press releases, privacy, private hearings, victims by tracey

‘The rule which currently requires all parole hearings to be held in private will be relaxed as part of the government’s efforts to increase public confidence in the process.’

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 8th February 2021

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Parole Board chief calls for high-profile hearings to be held in public – The Guardian

Posted October 20th, 2020 in news, parole, private hearings by sally

‘The head of the Parole Board has backed proposals to hold hearings to decide whether dangerous prisoners should be released in public, a significant shift from the current closed system.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Taxpayers have no right to attend hearing to approve HMRC information notices – OUT-LAW.com

‘UK taxpayers and third parties have no right to attend a tax tribunal hearing to consider the issue of notices by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) requiring the provision of information relevant to tax enquiries, the first-tier tax tribunal has decided.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 12th December 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Final Presidential words on transparency – Transparency Project

Posted August 7th, 2018 in family courts, judges, news, private hearings, reporting restrictions by sally

‘Sir James Munby, who retired as President of the Family Division at the end of July, has attracted a good deal of media attention over the years and has been innovative and enthusiastic about constructively engaging with the media. He was vocal as early as 2013 (in a speech to the Society of Editors) about his wish for the family courts and the Court of Protection to become more open and the important role of the media (the press in particular) to make the workings of the family justice system accessible to the public. Although the government had seemingly thrown in the transparency towel after the failed legislation of 2010, he was determined to address the perceived problem of lack of confidence in “secret” family courts.’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 6th August 2018

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Reporting restrictions ‘prevent scrutiny’ of economic crimes – The Guardian

Posted July 16th, 2018 in bribery, fraud, news, private hearings, reporting restrictions by tracey

‘Excessive court reporting restrictions, inadequate listing information and difficulties in obtaining documents are preventing scrutiny of economic crimes and bribery cases, according to a report by Corruption Watch UK.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Lady Hale at the Sir Nicholas Wall Memorial Lecture 2018, London – Supreme Court

‘Openness and Privacy in Family Proceedings. Sir Nicholas Wall Memorial Lecture 2018, Gray’s Inn, London. Lady Hale, President of The Supreme Court.’

Full speech

Supreme Court, 15th May 2018

Source: www.supremecourt.uk

Nurse and midwife misconduct hearings may be held in secret – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 21st, 2018 in disciplinary procedures, midwives, news, nurses, private hearings by tracey

‘Nurses and midwives will rarely be subject to public misconduct hearings and could avoid any sanctions for errors if they admit blunders early, under controversial new plans.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) wants to replace “cumbersome and adversarial” fitness to practice processes with a system that could mean most cases being heard behind closed doors.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 20th March 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family court secrecy lets judges get away with mistakes, senior judge says – Daily Telegraph

Posted March 15th, 2018 in family courts, judges, law reports, media, mistake, news, private hearings by tracey

‘Secrecy in family courts could be allowing judges to get away with mistakes, the most senior family judge in England and Wales has said. Speaking at an event on Tuesday evening, Sir James Munby, president of the high court’s family division, said that judges were “grotesquely overworked” and “tired” and so more likely to make errors.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 14th March 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

CPRC backs rule changes to ensure courts sit in public – Litigation Futures

Posted February 15th, 2018 in civil justice, civil procedure rules, news, private hearings by sally

‘The Civil Procedure Rules Committee (CPRC) has backed rule changes to ensure that courts sit in public “irrespective of the parties’ consent” unless certain strict conditions are met.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 13th February 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

The open justice principle: a child’s crimes and a parent’s misdemeanour – Transparency Project

‘What legal principles connect publicity for the 17 year-old Charlie Pearce (born 3 July 2000), a double rapist and attempt murderer (R v Pearce (Press Restrictions) Haddon-Cave J (7 December 2017)) and privacy for a stalking mother who, with her cohabitant (‘Mr JM’) tried to disrupt her 10 year-old daughter T’s foster placement (Re T (A Child) [2017] EWCA Civ 1889 (23 November 2017)).’

Full Story

Transparency Project, 31st January 2018

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

An end to private hearing deals and unilateral emails to court: CPRC to strengthen open justice – Litigation Futures

Posted November 7th, 2017 in civil justice, civil procedure rules, consultations, news, private hearings by tracey

‘A default position that all court hearings should be conducted in public, and parties and witnesses named, is under consideration by the Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) as part of a push to emphasise the importance of open justice, it has emerged.’

Full Story

Litigation Futures, 7th November 2017

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Public Law Podcast Seminar on Radicalisation Part 1: Civil Law and Closed Hearing – UK Human Rights Blog

The first episode from the Public Law Seminar given by members of 1 Crown Office Row is now available for podcast download here or from iTunes under Law Pod UK. Look for Episode 13: Tackling radicalisation through the civil courts.

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 26th October 2017

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Law Pod UK Ep. 13: Tackling radicalisation through the civil courts – 1 COR

Posted October 27th, 2017 in civil justice, news, private hearings, terrorism by sally

‘Martin Downs and Shaheen Rahman QC talk about their experiences of tackling radicalisation in the civil courts, and the use of closed hearings. Recorded at the 2017 Public Law event at King’s College London.’

Full Story

Law Pod UK, 26th October 2017

Source: audioboom.com

Aarhus costs cap challenge succeeds – UK Human Rights Blog

‘RSPB, Friends of the Earth & Client Earth v. Secretary of State for Justice [2017] EWHC 2309 (Admin), 15 September 2017, Dove J. In my March 2017 post here, I explained that amendments to the costs rules for public law environmental claims threatened to undo much of the certainty that those rules had achieved since 2013. Between 2013 and February 2017, if you, an individual, had an environmental judicial review, then you could pretty much guarantee that your liability to the other side’s costs would be capped at £5,000 (£10,000 for companies) if you lost, and your recovery of your own costs would be limited to £35,000 if you won. In this way, the rules sought to avoid the cost of such claims becoming prohibitively expensive and thus in breach of Art.9(4) of the Aarhus Convention.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 16th September 2017

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Police watchdog to hold misconduct hearing in secret over man’s death – The Guardian

‘A disciplinary hearing of six police officers who have been accused of gross misconduct over the death of a 23-year-old man who died after a prolonged period of restraint seven years ago will begin in secret on Monday.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 11th september 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Foreign Office wants rendition case against Jack Straw to be held in private – The Guardian

‘The Foreign Office is asking the high court to sit in secret when former foreign secretary Jack Straw faces a damages claim over his alleged role in the abduction and torture of a Libyan dissident and his pregnant wife.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 29th June 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com