Archived News

Family court decisions to be publicised online?

14 April 2008

In a pilot scheme to be run in three yet to be named cities, hundreds of court decisions on children and families are to be published on a central website.

According to a recent report in the Times, "The move comes after ministers controversially decided against opening up the family courts as of right to the media.

The decision may go a little way towards appeasing critics of the family courts, such as Fathers 4 Justice, who maintain that their decisions are biased against fathers and cannot be questioned because they are made behind closed doors."

It is certainly an indication that the law is open to the use of technology in order to help people learn more about how courts work. Sir Mark Potter, Britain's most senior family court judge, said: "This is a welcome step, and should do a great deal to reduce charges of secret justice by making clear to the public the reasoning of judges in cases of concern."