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.
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‘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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