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Court hearings may soon be televised, following recommendations made this week by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger.
Speaking at the Judicial Studies Board annual lecture on Wednesday (16 April), Neuberger put forward the argument for some hearings from the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal to be televised, on an equivalent of the Parliament Channel or via BBC iPlayer.
However, he added that any judges hearing the case concerned "would have to have full rights of veto over what could be broadcast" and that he would be wary of witness actions and criminal trials being used.
As an example, Neuberger cited Brazil's Federal Supreme Tribunal, which now has its own TV channel, TV Justica, which shows both recordings and educational programmes about the justice system.
Neuberger said: "If we wish to increase public confidence in the justice system, transparency and engagement, there is undoubtedly something to be said for televising some hearings, provided that there were proper safeguards to ensure that this increased access did not undermine the proper administration of justice.
"Providing fair trials in the public eye bolsters public confidence in the administration of justice, and hence in our democratic form of government. It is therefore a matter of concern if members of the public rarely come into our courts to observe what goes on in them. Stating that our courts, as a general principle, are open to all is one thing. But it must be a reality."
Neuberger also offered his support for the Lord Chief Justice's interim guidance on tweeting in courts issued in December last year.
He said: "Why force a journalist or a member of the public to rush out of court in order to telephone or text the contents of his notes written in court, when he can tweet as unobtrusively as he can write?"
"We should foster the already developing community of active informed court reporting on the internet through blogs and tweeting."
Court hearings may soon be televised, following recommendations made this week by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger.
Speaking at the Judicial Studies Board annual lecture on Wednesday (16 April), Neuberger put forward the argument for some hearings from the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal to be televised, on an equivalent of the Parliament Channel or via BBC iPlayer.
However, he added that any judges hearing the case concerned "would have to have full rights of veto over what could be broadcast" and that he would be wary of witness actions and criminal trials being used.
As an example, Neuberger cited Brazil's Federal Supreme Tribunal, which now has its own TV channel, TV Justica, which shows both recordings and educational programmes about the justice system.
Neuberger said: "If we wish to increase public confidence in the justice system, transparency and engagement, there is undoubtedly something to be said for televising some hearings, provided that there were proper safeguards to ensure that this increased access did not undermine the proper administration of justice.
"Providing fair trials in the public eye bolsters public confidence in the administration of justice, and hence in our democratic form of government. It is therefore a matter of concern if members of the public rarely come into our courts to observe what goes on in them. Stating that our courts, as a general principle, are open to all is one thing. But it must be a reality."
Neuberger also offered his support for the Lord Chief Justice's interim guidance on tweeting in courts issued in December last year.
He said: "Why force a journalist or a member of the public to rush out of court in order to telephone or text the contents of his notes written in court, when he can tweet as unobtrusively as he can write?"
"We should foster the already developing community of active informed court reporting on the internet through blogs and tweeting."
- For more, see Should justice be televised?
