The following is information from an article that people should be well aware of. In other words, pay attention New Hampshire, because school is now in session!
THE TELEGRAPH
By David Barrett
Home Affairs Correspondent
September 5, 2013
THE TELEGRAPH
By David Barrett
Home Affairs Correspondent
September 5, 2013
Judge calls for more transparency
A family judge in England and Wales, Sir James Mumby, has demanded more transparency in the courts.
Sir James said, "There is a pressing need for more transparency, indeed for much more transparency, in the family court.
There are a number of aspects to this. One is the right of the public to know, the need for the public to be confront with what is being done in its name.
No where is this more necessary than in the relation to care and adoption cases. Such cases, by definition, involve interference, infusion, by the state, by local authorities and by the court, into family life.
In this context the arguments in favor of publicity - in favor of openness, public scrutiny and public accountability - are particularly compelling.
Sir James added, "We must have the humility to recognize - and to acknowledge the public debate, and the jealous viligance of an informed media, have an important role to play in exposing past miscarriages of justice."
The remedy, even if it is probably doomed to only partial success, is...more transparency. Putting it bluntly, letting the glare of publicity into the family courts.
...The judge made an order banning the name of a child, but refused to ban the publication of images.
The judge said, "the way the internet allowed easy access to information that was sometimes sensitive nature in nature, poses "enormous challenges." The law must develop and adapt, as it always has done down the years in response to other revolutionary technologies." He said.
"We must not simply throw up our hands in despair and moan that the internet is uncontrollable. Nor can we simply abandon basic legal principles."
"In July, Sir James published guidelines setting out thousands more court judgments in care and adoption cases that should be made public."
