Court reporting guide for journalists

For: Journalists, students and bloggers. General information, not legal advice. Last updated 6 October 2026.

Short answer: Most hearings in England and Wales are open, so journalists can attend and report them fairly and accurately. Before you publish, check for reporting restrictions with the court, never name anyone the law protects, and avoid anything that could prejudice a trial. When in doubt, take legal advice.

Court reporting is one of the oldest forms of journalism, and it keeps justice open to scrutiny. The rules are detailed, however, and mistakes can be serious. This guide gives a practical starting point for journalists, students and bloggers. It is general information, not legal advice. Contempt of court and defamation risks are real, so take legal advice when you are unsure.

The core rules

• Open justice: most hearings are public, and you can report them.
• Fair and accurate: report what happened fairly and without distortion.
• Contemporaneous: report promptly, because the law protects fair reports published close to the hearing.
• Check restrictions: always find out whether any order limits what you can publish.
• Protect those the law protects: do not identify children or complainants in sexual offence cases.

What you can see

Magistrates’ courts and the Crown Court sit in public in most cases. You can attend the public gallery like anyone else. Some courts have a reserved press bench. Our public gallery guide explains the general rules for visitors, and the guides to the Crown Court and magistrates’ court explain how hearings run.

Some hearings are closed or restricted:

Reporting restrictions

Restrictions come in two kinds. Automatic restrictions apply by law, for example:

• Complainants in sexual offence cases have lifetime anonymity.
• Under-18s involved in youth proceedings are normally protected from identification.

Court orders are made by the judge or magistrates in particular cases. They may postpone reporting until a later date, or protect someone’s identity. Some are limited in time and some are lifelong.

Before you publish:

1. Ask the court clerk or listing office whether an order is in force.
2. Read the order, because wording matters.
3. Check again if the case is adjourned, because circumstances can change.

Contempt of court

The strict liability rule means that publishing something that creates a substantial risk of serious prejudice to active proceedings can be a contempt, even if you did not intend that. Take particular care with:

• Material that could influence jurors, such as past convictions or other details not heard in court.
• Comments or speculation about guilt.
• Pictures that could affect identification evidence.
• Online comments, including those under your own articles and posts.

A fair, accurate and contemporaneous report of open proceedings is generally protected, unless the court has ordered otherwise.

Hearing lists

HMCTS publishes hearing lists, and they can change at short notice. Always check the official list on the day, and confirm details with the court’s listing office. This site links to the official list, and shows the lists for Crown and magistrates’ courts without defendants’ names. Our guides when are court lists published? and why isn’t my case listed? explain the timing and the gaps.

Using devices in court

Journalists can generally use laptops, phones and tablets in open court for note-taking and live text reports. Other people usually need the court’s permission. You must never take photographs or make audio or video recordings. Ask the usher or clerk if you are unsure, and follow their instructions.

Remote observation

Some hearings can be observed remotely. Ask the court or the HMCTS media team about the arrangements, and remember that the same rules on recording apply to remote viewing.

Following a case through the courts

Most criminal cases pass through more than one court, so a story can develop over several hearings.

Noting the case reference at each stage lets you follow the case reliably, and our court list explainers show where it appears.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Naming someone protected by law, such as a child or a complainant in a sexual offence case.
• Reporting what the jury has not heard, including previous convictions that were kept out.
• Mixing up charges and convictions. A person charged with an offence is not guilty until convicted.
• Using old material after the position has changed, such as a charge that was later dropped.
• Forgetting to update a story when the verdict or sentence arrives.

Before you file: a short checklist

1. Have you checked for reporting restrictions on the day?
2. Is every name, age and address accurate?
3. Is the report fair, accurate and balanced, including the defence?
4. Have you avoided anything that could prejudice a trial that is still active?
5. Is your note of the hearing complete enough to support what you wrote?

Practical tips

• Arrive early and tell the usher or clerk you are a reporter.
• Check spellings of names, ages and addresses, and the exact charges.
• Note the case reference, because it helps you follow a case through different courts.
• Report the outcome as well as the charge, since an acquittal or reduced charge matters to fairness.
• Keep a good note to defend your report if you are challenged.

Where this site fits

We are independent and are not HMCTS. We cannot give guidance on behalf of the courts, and we never show defendants’ first names. Our courts directory can help you find the right building, and the list explainers describe how to read each type of list.