2007-01-13 23:55:14 · 16 answers · asked by sandbag810@btinternet.com 1 in News & Events ➔ Media & Journalism
No. Court records are a matter of public record, unless it involves juveniles or the record is sealed by a judge.
2007-01-14 00:03:16 · answer #1 · answered by Steven5441 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am sorry you are in this situation - the fear of public exposure can be worse than the trial itself. Freedom of press be damned this is nasty justice being SEEN to be done....
The reporters tend to come from a pool of court reporters who file as an agency to other media sources hence the local element gets picked up. Local media love these stories so little chance of being ignored particularly if it something in a criminal court. They are also BAD journalists writing for lowest common denominators like the Scum and News of the Screws so don't expect fair and balanced and it will be peppered with adjectives that bear no resemblance to the reality (but seriously grit teeth an get through it as they are AWFUL people out to make a living off other peoples misfortune).
They WILL print your name, most likely your age, your occupation and only ROUGHLY where you live. They can not print your whole address due to the potential for vigilante behaviour and the fact you do retain a degree of rights under Human Rights Act. The trouble for local media is they will push this as far as they can and in small communities it is often more than enough. Also if the story is potentially "jucy" and contains any for instance, sexual element, take a hat and scarf when going to court have a friend get a taxi at the end of the day as they are likely to try and get pictures. Cover your face and don't help these scumbags. But if faced with paps don't respond to the goading - don't answer back and call them names or be tempted to push you as they will try and sue you for assault. Annd by the way even if found not guilty the story is stil likely to appear negative - way of the world and also if they run a story against you during the trial and you're cleared don't hold your breath for an apology or a story that says you were cleared by that time they don't care about you or damage done.
Good luck
2007-01-14 10:46:40 · answer #2 · answered by Gilly S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
IN General, NO. (except where the people before the court are minors.)
Court proceedings are a matter of public record. The governemt represents the "people" of the jurisdiction that the court represents.
The people make the laws (by electing the representatives) the people enforce the laws (by paying the taxes and electing the judges and other officials that hire the police, DA's and others) and the people judge the defendants (in the form of serving on juries.)
This, by itself, is a pretty strong argument for the publication of court proceedings.
One more note. You wouldn't want to live in a society where court cases are tried and punishments doled out in secret.
2007-01-14 08:10:09 · answer #3 · answered by chocolahoma 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I can only speak for Ontario and that in cases such as sexual assault or cases inolving children under 18,or terrorism most judges put a gag order out for the media so that no details can be public to protect the victim not the criminal.
Frankly I think except for children as victims the convicted perpetrators names should be published so other people have a right to know if the scuzzbucket is living anywhere near them and take precautions.
2007-01-14 09:24:25 · answer #4 · answered by Lizzy-tish 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i think you should have the right to not have your details printed, and it should be determined by circumstances. for instance what if someone has been found guilty in there absence, so have to be sentenced but have an appeal at a higher court going on for the same offence. why should their name be in the paper for doing something they may not have done.if the papers cant find real news then they should quit.
2007-01-18 07:34:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont think you can no, most local papers have a court in brief section or something similar, the last time I was in court I raced to that section to see if my name was there to find it wasn't - phew I'm off the hook, then went back to read the front page, opened the paper and bam there was a column wide piece about it!
Nothing I could do about it really, didn't even realise that anyone from the local paper was there, so I couldn't have even asked them not to print.
Why what have you done? anything interesting?
2007-01-14 08:06:42 · answer #6 · answered by thecoldvoiceofreason 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Absolutely not (not even if you are a minor. If the name is on the court document, the press can print it. Sometimes they choose not to print the names of minors or rape victims).
p-u-b-l-i-c r-e-c-o-r-d.
2007-01-14 13:25:07 · answer #7 · answered by andy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Local press routinely print the names and addresses of all those convicted in their area.
2007-01-14 08:04:07 · answer #8 · answered by Captain Flaps 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes - but then again No...Try taking on the likes of the News of the World - you have to be a Tommy Sheridan to do that...... Newspapers have an endless Mon£y pit - they are not frightened of a day in court... Joe Public doesnt mean a thing to them..
2007-01-14 08:00:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
no you do not,, first of all you have lost your rights , and it is public information,, and all elected politions want to make sure the judicial system works in their favor of the appearence of their fight on crime... and that is a joke
2007-01-14 08:27:47 · answer #10 · answered by RED WHITE AND BLUE 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋