A lack of experienced journalists covering court cases has led to the publication of a new document explaining court reporting and procedures.
The media and communications advisor to the Scottish judiciary, Elizabeth Cutting, said the booklet aims to help all reporters – trainee or experienced – get to grips with covering court cases accurately and confidently.
The guidelines detail the correct people to contact for information, and Cutting is completing a glossary of terms, used in both criminal and civil cases, which provides a simple, plain English explanation for journalists who are unsure about legal action.
‘We find that because of resource implications, we don’t have as many full-time, experienced journalists covering court cases,’Cutting said. ‘We get a lot of young journalists, freelance journalists or journalists who just haven’t got the experience of court reports.
‘My role is to help clarify things for the journalist, so they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for assistance.”
For more details, email ecutting@scotscourts.gov.uk
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