Published: 11th September 2023 In the face of technological advances, how can the Ministry of Justice ensure that our court and tribunal services are transparent? READ OUR RESPONSE NOW PLP submitted a response to the Government’s first consultation on open justice since 2012, sharing our thoughts on how the Ministry of Justice can uphold open justice in the modern era. Transparency and accountability are key to improving public decision making, empowering people to engage with law, and increasing access to justice. So how can the Government foster those principles? Read our recommendations across various topics like access to data, livestreaming court proceedings, and AI regulation: A commitment to consult with judges, media, and civil society where any policy could affect open justice Calls for feedback from members of the public Independent evaluation of livestreaming of Supreme Court proceedings Inclusive language in court listings to avoid informal hierarchies between the media and the public Access to all open court proceedings through remote observation for all members of the public and the media Important government data published promptly Careful regulation of the use of AI in all contexts with a centralised specialist AI regulator The Government must commit to open justice across these areas to strengthen the rule of law. In our work, we have witnessed the recent change in public access to court proceedings: the UK has gone from traditional public galleries to the £1.3 billion Reform Programme and the challenge of post-pandemic modernisation through modern video and audio technology. It’s more crucial than ever that we form a strategy to strengthen the openness of our court and tribunal services in the modern age. Read the full submission here You might be interested in… The cost of access to justice