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A lack of court reporters means justice is 'done behind closed doors'

The number of court reporters has declined in recent years.
Sarah McKenna Barry
Sarah McKenna Barry

12.24 21 Jan 2025


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A lack of court reporters mean...

A lack of court reporters means justice is 'done behind closed doors'

Sarah McKenna Barry
Sarah McKenna Barry

12.24 21 Jan 2025


Share this article


There are concerns the justice system may be impacted by fewer journalists training to become court reporters. 

Some of history's most high-profile criminal cases were brought to the public eye through the work of court reporters.

However, the number of court reporters has declined in recent years and there is a concern that this will negatively impact the justice system.

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On The Pat Kenny Show, former reporter and University of Sheffield teacher Polly Rippon said court reporting is the "backbone of local news reporting".

"People like to read about crime and what's happening in our courts - but there are fewer court reporters," she said.

Resources

A lack of resources for local newspapers may be the driving factor in the decline of court reporters.

"Court cases can go on for weeks and weeks and it’s an editor’s decision – do [reporters] sit in court for hours and hours or do they write stories from their desk and in that time produce maybe 5-10 stories instead of one court report?" Ms Rippon said.

"It's a problem in newsrooms that are under-staffed."

Justice

Court reporters play an important role in the justice system, according to Ms Rippon.

"High profile cases will always get coverage – the way it happens normally is the local reporters turn up and start covering a case, the nationals find out about it and they come along and you can have 10-12 journalists in court," she said.

"If the locals aren’t turning up to these cases then it could be that they never see the light of day.

"That’s a shame for justice and it’s a shame for victims - people in local communities need to know if criminals are being brought to justice for their crimes."

Gavel laying on judges bench in courtroom, Alamy

Equally, defendants who are cleared of charges often want their court case to be reported on.

"If [trials are] going unreported, you’re not going to get [to hear about] the innocent people who to court and are cleared," Ms Rippon said.

"That sticks to their reputation and they might want to clear their name and they might want that outcome to be reported - but if reporters aren’t in court then that’s not going to happen."

Scrutiny

The presence of the media in courtrooms also helps ensure that "everything is done properly", Ms Rippon said.

"For example, if a judge is regularly giving hefty sentences out, that can be scrutinised and discussed and addressed," she said.

"If the reporters aren’t there, people won’t know that’s going on, and justice will be done effectively behind closed doors in the dark."

Ms Rippon said more investment into local newspapers may help retain court reporters.

Feature image shows a journalist wearing a press pack and holding a camera, Alamy.


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