Commentary

David Burrows considers and compares recent cases on confidentiality and expectations of privacy for those under criminal investigation… Continue reading

David Burrows considers the ‘implied undertaking’ not to release or otherwise pass on documents disclosed under compulsion in family law proceedings and whether the same rules apply as in civil proceedings… Continue reading

David Burrows considers the legality of court rules that frustrate the common law on open justice and proposes a more transparent approach to hearings concerning domestic abuse… Continue reading

David Burrows reviews legal developments relating to open justice in the context of family law over the last year.… Continue reading

His Honour Nicholas Chambers QC explains the purpose of a recent talk given at Brick Court Chambers on the future of judge-led conciliation. … Continue reading

David Burrows discusses public hearings and private advice in the context of the cases that define and explain the law in these areas.… Continue reading

When retired judge Peter Murphy invited Baroness Hale of Richmond to write the foreword to his latest collection of comic stories about a fictitious judge, he can have little thought that one of the fictional cases she would be introducing might have striking parallels with a real one coming before the Supreme Court.… Continue reading

David Burrows explores the relationship between common law and court rules and practice directions, in seeking to challenge the routine privacy of family court hearings. … Continue reading

Following a recent case, Louise Hopson, assistant editor of the Business Law Reports, points out the risks faced by SIPP providers who fail to ensure the suitability of investments, even when acting for clients on an execution-only basis.… Continue reading

For all practical purposes, the free legal database run by the British and Irish Legal Information Institute (BAILII) is an official source of judgments from senior courts that any member of the public or any journalist can use. But while anyone can read individual judgments and quote bits of them elsewhere, what are the rules about downloading and re-using the content in bulk? Is it public open data or are there restrictions on its re-use? There seems to be some confusion about this, which this article (reposted from the Transparency Project blog) aims to unpick.… Continue reading