Family Law

(Family Division; Wall P; 11 May 2011)

A Freelance journalist sought permission to name a medical expert witness. The judge had permitted the local authority to withdraw care proceedings. The judge been highly critical of the expert's report.

As the medical expert would be identified, it was therefore fair for his report to be published and the expert to be able to defend his work. The judge had been wrong to criticise the expert without hearing oral evidence from him. The President commented that he would like to see a practice in which expert reports were routinely disclosed and the media able to comment.

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