UK family courts to be opened to the media

LONDON - Family courts in England and Wales will be opened to the media to make them more accountable under proposals announced by the government yesterday.

Under current rules, cases in family courts, such as those involving taking a child into care or disputes between parents over contact with children, are held in private and verdicts are often not made public.

The government said this had led to a belief that the courts operated in secret, leading to a loss of public confidence and trust.

"Public confidence depends on public scrutiny," said Constitutional Affairs Minister Harriet Harman.

"It has to be seen to be believed and justice not only has to be done, it has to be seen to be done - including in the family courts.

"Greater openness will mean a greater understanding of the courts' work and recognition for those involved."

Harman said the current rules meant that children, even when they were adults, found it difficult to discover why the court had ruled they should live with one parent rather than the other.

Around 400,000 cases were heard in family courts in 2004 and the new proposals would allow the media to attend courts as a matter of right, although anonymity would be granted to the children and adults involved in proceedings.

- REUTERS