NLJ this week: BBC’s open justice bid fails in care proceedings

The Court of Appeal’s ruling in X and another v The BBC and others denied the BBC’s application for access to care case documents, as its aims were not connected to scrutinising judicial decision-making or enhancing public understanding of the justice system.

Dobson notes that open justice is about transparency in court operations, not broader investigations into local authority conduct. The judgment confirms that journalistic access to care proceedings must serve the principle’s core purposes, and alternative routes like Freedom of Information requests may be more appropriate for investigating underlying events.