RPC Privacy Law

The latest news in privacy law

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When can you sue under a disguised name?

Posted on May 03, 2012 by Keith Mathieson

In what circumstances can a claimant in civil litigation commence proceedings under a pseudonym? We are familiar with alphabetised claimants in injunction cases who seek anonymity on grounds that the purpose of their proceedings would otherwise be defeated: if the cheating footballer/act... read more

Reporting the family courts - new guide published

Posted on August 01, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

A valuable guide has just been published which sets out the law governing access to, and reporting of, the family courts. It has been written by the media law barristers Adam Wolanski and Kate Wilson. The document, available free of charge on the link just given, is entitled "The Family Courts: ... read more

Supreme Court welcomes Twitter

Posted on February 08, 2011 by Louise Jacobs

The use of Twitter is now officially sanctioned in the Supreme Court. In a previous posting we discussed the Lord Chief Justice's guidance on the use of Twitter in other courts open to the public. That guidance envisaged an application being made to the judge for permission to tweet. In the Supr... read more

A mass outbreak of anonymity: CDE and FGH v MGN and LMN

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

It is not unusual for claimants in privacy cases to be anonymised. It is less common for defendants and distinctly unusual for non-parties. The effect of Eady J's order in CDE v MGN [2010] EWHC 3308 is that we do not know the identity of the two claimants, the second defendant, her solicitor, her ... read more

7/7 footage withheld from public to protect privacy of victims and their families

Posted on January 14, 2011 by Kim Waite

The Coroner conducting the inquest into the terror attacks in London on 7 July 2005 has ordered that certain footage shown in court of the aftermath of the 7/7 attacks should not be released to the media. Lady Justice Hallet reached this decision despite being "accutely conscious" of the p... read more

Family court lifts restriction on naming local authority

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Kim Waite

In High Court care proceedings in which a costs order was made against a local authority, the court, having previously anonymised all parties, decided to lift the restriction on naming the local authority. Its decision was made following representations by the BBC. The case is now reported as Cove... read more

Court of Protection names guilty council

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

The Court of Protection has lifted its usual anonymity rule and named a local council it rebuked for breaching the Article 5 and 8 rights of a 19-year-old man with serious learning difficulties and severe physical disabilities. Baker J's original judgment was subject to reporting restrictions which... read more

Media access to Court of Protection

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

The Independent newspaper has won the right to attend and report on a case in the Court of Protection. Its report of the ruling of Hedley J is here. The Court of Protection is empowered to make decisions about the property, affairs, healthcare and personal welfare of adults who lack capacity. I... read more

Public access to documents in criminal cases

Posted on January 11, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

The Administrative Court has upheld the decision of a district judge to refuse the press access to documents placed before a magistrates court in connection with extradition proceedings: R (on the application of Guardian News & Media) v City of Westminster Magistrates Court [2010] EWHC 3376. The ca... read more

Anonymisation of parties in matrimonial proceedings

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

The Court of Appeal has lifted an order by a family court judge which directed that the parties to the proceedings should be anonymised. In Lykiardopolu v Lykiardopolu [2010] EWCA Civ 1315 Mrs Justice Baron had ordered that the parties’ identities should be protected in order to avoid damage to the... read more

Privacy and anonymisation in commercial cases and in the Court of Appeal

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

In a music royalties dispute involving Pink Floyd, the Court of Appeal has made it clear that a private hearing or anonymisation of parties should take place only where the court is satisfied this is necessary for the proper administration of justice. In the Pink Floyd case – Pink Floyd Music Limit... read more

Tweeting the courts

Posted on January 10, 2011 by Keith Mathieson

The Lord Chief Justice has issued guidance on the use of Twitter in court. The Daily Mail reported this as "Carry on tweeting". The Lord Chief Justice's civil servants preferred to use more formal Whitehall language, calling their guidance "Interim Practice Guidance: The Use of Live Text-Based For... read more

About this blog

RPC Privacy Law Articles

This blog features regular postings on developments in UK privacy law written by specialist lawyers at RPC. The postings are intended to keep RPC's Privacy Law Handbook (see below) as up-to-date as possible and while postings do refer readers to relevant sections of the book, we hope and intend that the blog will also be a useful source of current information to those without access to the book.