Law Weblog

Cameras in court abandoned, except Supreme Court

Monday 10 March 2008 at 7:30 am | In News | Post Comment

The Guardian reports…
The former lord chancellor, Lord Falconer, was poised to allow not only hearings in the court of appeal but judges’ summings-up to juries and sentencing remarks in crown court criminal trials to be broadcast. Legislation would have been necessary because a statutory ban imposed in 1925 prevents filming in English and Welsh courts.

But the initiative has been killed off by his successor, Jack Straw, and is now “dead,” according to the source. The exception will be the new supreme court, which opens in October 2009 and will not be covered by the ban. Cases heard there could be broadcast – but only if the judge who becomes its first president agrees.

Full article here