Law and the Media, 4th Edition

9 Reporting Restrictions

Jane Colston

9.1 Introduction

It has long been established in English law that the proper administration of law in accordance with the rules of natural justice requires that court proceedings should be held openly and in public. Although the principle may not be universally observed, it is undoubtedly recognized throughout the world as being a basic standard by which the quality of a legal system is judged. The principle has been incorporated into numerous other national constitutions and parliamentary statutes. Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to a fair and public trial) which has been incorporated into English law by the Human Rights Act 1998, echoes the principle precisely.

Although the ...