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13 January 2017 / David Burrows
Issue: 7729 / Categories: Features , Family
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Contempt & court proceedings (Pt 2)

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David Burrows discusses anonymity for children & others involved in family proceedings in his final article on contempt
  • ​When can the press or other members of the public attend court?
  • Open court: the general rule; but rarely in family proceedings.
  • “What’s in a name?” Transparency or anonymity for family proceedings?

In Appleton & Anor v News Group Newspapers Ltd & Anor [2015] EWHC 2689 (Fam), [2016] 2 FLR 1, [2015] All ER (D) 131 (Sep) Mr Justice Mostyn described the law about press attendance at family proceedings as “a mess”. If press attendance is a mess, so too is the law about attendance of anyone else; or for release of any documents from family proceedings; and as to when a hearing is in open court or not. In “Watchdog or wolf in sheep’s clothing?” Caroline East considered privacy in financial relief in Appleton and the earlier case of DL v SL [2015] EWHC 2621 (Fam), [2015] All ER (D) 114 (Sep) sub nom L v L (Ancillary Relief Proceedings: Anonymity) [2016] WLR 1259: in both

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