Reporting on Family Law
The Family Law Act and the Family Law Rules restrict how the media can record court proceedings and what information can be published or broadcast.
Section 121 of the Family Law Act 1975 makes it an offence to publish proceedings or images that identify people involved in family law proceedings unless a Publication Order has been made or another s 121 exemption applies.
Section 97 of the Family Law Act provides that all proceedings are held in open court unless the Court decides otherwise.
The Family Law Rules 2004 (1.19) state that a court event, such as a hearing, cannot be photographed or recorded by electronic or mechanical means unless sanctioned by the Court.
For more information, go to ‘In this section - Frequently Asked Questions’ on this page. View s 121 of the Family Law Act 1975 and s 97 of the Family Law Act at Website Links.