40. Proceedings heard otherwise than in public.
Amendments (requiring commencement) by Sch. 1 to the Family Courts Act 2024 (No. 48), published 13 November 2024.
(1) In this section "court" includes the Master of the High Court.
(2) [deleted]
(3) Nothing contained in a relevant enactment shall operate to prohibit -
(a) the preparation by a barrister at law or a solicitor or a person falling within any other class of persons specified in regulations made by the Minister and publication of a report of proceedings to which the relevant enactment relates, or
(b) the publication of the decision of the court in such proceedings,
in accordance with rules of court, provided that the report or decision does not contain any information which would enable the parties to the proceedings or any child to which the proceedings relate to be identified and, accordingly, unless in the special circumstances of the matter the court, for reasons which shall be specified in the direction, otherwise directs, a person referred to in paragraph (a) may, for the purposes of preparing such a report -
(i) attend the proceedings, and
(ii) have access to any relevant documents,
subject to any directions the court may give in that behalf.