HMCTS staff guidance on supporting media access to courts and tribunals
Guidance for HMCTS staff to encourage and facilitate media access to our courts and tribunals
Updates to this page
- From:
- HM Courts & Tribunals Service
- Published:
- 24 October 2018
- Last updated:
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31 July 2026
Show all updates
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Updated link in general guidance
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Uploaded new version of the criminal court guide
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Updated the media guidance, protocol for journalists, criminal court guide and added guidance for checking status of journalists
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Factual updates to main media guide and reporters charter including fixing broken links.
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Updating the criminal court jurisdictional guide to align to main media guidance document.
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Tribunals guide updated - refreshed IAC first-tier tribunal section
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Updated page, updated document guidance.
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Updated media guidance for Tribunals.
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Updated
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Updated page
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Factual changes to civil jurisdictional guide.
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Updated page.
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Updated page
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Updated pages.
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An addition to the email disclaimer has been made to HMCTS media protocol - reminding journalists/court reporters to contact our Service Centres as first point of contact when needed to contact magistrates' courts.
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Removed possession proceedings paragraph from 'Jurisdictional guidance to support media access to courts and tribunals: Civil courts guide (accessible version)'
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Updated paragraph on court lists.
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Updated versions of Media Guidance and How to read a magistrates' court register guide added, December 2023.
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Update to Family Court media guide - disclosure of information (names and addresses) section: - Proceedings not involving children but which are to be heard without notice to one or more parties: names of parties can be given to members of the media, but not to the public in general or a section of the public. - Any other family proceedings: names of parties can be given to members of the media.
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Added updated Magistrates' Court register guidance
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Media protocol updated - SJP documents available on request to media: • the prosecution statement of facts or, if there is no statement of facts, the witness statement(s): this also includes embedded exhibits (such as a photograph)
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Family court guide updated with correct link to the President of the Family Division guidance as to reporting in the Family Courts - Courts and Tribunals Judiciary published in Oct 2019.
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Main media guidance doc: - changing reference from 'trail' to 'hearing' - update to Judicial Office press office contact details - update to judgments section - explaining where copied are available from Criminal court guide: - update to reporting restriction section to include reference to Common Platform Reporters' Charter - changing reference from 'trail' to 'hearing'
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Update to Tribunals media guide to clarify that since February 2017 the vast majority of Judgments issued to parties are accessible online with the exception of judgments for withdrawn claims under Rule 52 and, very occasionally, judgments in national security cases where special rules apply.
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Updated HMCTS media guidance to include information on remote observation of hearings.
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Reporters' Charter added to page. Criminal and Family guides updated. How to read a Crown Court list and How to read a Magistrates' Court register guides also added.
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Protocol on sharing court lists, registers and documents with the media updated.
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Main media guidance document updated with staff advice on dealing with 'contempt of court' including escalation process. Managing with high profile cases guidance document updated with refefences to managing hearings remotely by Cloud Video Platform (CVP).
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Media guidance documents updated - 5 March 2020.
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Tribunal guide - SIAC information updated.
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Revised tribunals guide uploaded. Link to lists for UT(AAC) altered.
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First published.
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Documents
HMCTS media guidance
PDF, 280 KB, 10 pages
How to read a criminal court register
PDF, 304 KB, 2 pages
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HMCTS media guidance: Managing high profile cases
PDF, 240 KB, 8 pages
Protocol on sharing court lists, registers and documents with the media
PDF, 219 KB, 6 pages
Reporters' Charter
PDF, 288 KB, 8 pages
How to read a Crown Court list guide
PDF, 236 KB, 1 page
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format
Guidance for checking status of journalists
PDF, 203 KB, 5 pages
Details
The principle of open justice is a longstanding feature of our legal system. The public has a right to know what happens in our courts and tribunals, and public confidence in the justice system relies on transparency.
One way this important principle is upheld is the attendance and reporting of proceedings by the media. It is through the media that many people hear about the operation of the justice system and form views on it.
We developed this guide with representatives of the media to ensure that it is best focused to help our staff provide the best possible service to what is an important professional court and tribunal user group.
This guide covers most of the typical media situations our staff are likely to encounter and will be regularly reviewed.