Court Day Pack

Four ready-to-use templates for daily court reporting — a roving reporter brief, contempt-check form under CCA 1981 s.2, quote verification log, and restrictions-check checklist.

Last reviewed: 13 June 2026Next review due: 13 December 2026

Note:These are templates — adapt them to the specific court and case. Not legal advice. If you are uncertain whether a reporting restriction applies, hold your copy and check with a solicitor or your newsdesk before publishing.

Who this pack is for

This pack is for UK journalists covering magistrates’, crown, and youth courts day to day. It gives you a repeatable workflow for a court day — from your pre-arrival checks through to filing copy that is compliant with contempt law and any reporting restrictions in force.

Templates are built around the Contempt of Court Act 1981 (Section 2 strict liability rule), judiciary.uk reporting restrictions guidance, and HMCTS court operations.

What’s in this pack

Four templates — copy, adapt, and use each court day.

Daily Roving Reporter Brief

A repeatable pre-arrival, on-the-day, and end-of-day checklist for covering court lists.

Contempt-Check Form

Step-by-step CCA 1981 s.2 strict liability assessment before filing on an active case.

Quote Verification Log

Cross-checks quotes against your notes or recording before they go in copy.

Restrictions-Check Checklist

Covers automatic statutory restrictions and discretionary orders to check for on the day.

Template 1: Daily Roving Reporter Brief

Use this as your standard workflow for a day of covering multiple court lists.

DAILY ROVING REPORTER BRIEF — COURT DAY

Court: [COURT NAME] | Date: [DATE]
Reporter: [YOUR NAME]

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE
[ ] Check court lists (online or via clerk) for cases of interest
[ ] Note courtroom numbers and listed times — lists change; confirm on arrival
[ ] Check for any standing reporting restrictions on today's list (youth court, sexual offences)

ON ARRIVAL
[ ] Sign in with court staff/press office if required
[ ] Check noticeboard / ask usher for any Section 4(2) or Section 11 orders in force today
[ ] Identify which cases are open to the public and press

FOR EACH CASE COVERED
Case name / reference: [DETAILS]
Charge(s): [DETAILS]
Defendant details (name, age, address if given in open court): [DETAILS]
Plea (if entered): [DETAILS]
Outcome / next hearing date: [DETAILS]
Reporting restrictions in force: [NONE / SPECIFY]
Any restriction applied verbally by the judge during the hearing: [NOTE — record wording as closely as possible]

END OF DAY
[ ] Run contempt-check form on any case with active/future proceedings
[ ] Run restrictions-check checklist before filing
[ ] Verify key quotes against your notes/recording using the quote verification log
[ ] File copy with clear headline distinguishing "charged/accused" from "convicted"
[ ] Note any case to follow up (adjournment, trial date, sentencing date) in your diary

Template 2: Contempt-Check Form (CCA 1981 s.2)

Run this before filing on any case where proceedings are active, to assess strict liability contempt risk.

CONTEMPT-CHECK FORM (CONTEMPT OF COURT ACT 1981, SECTION 2)

Case: [CASE NAME/REFERENCE]
Reporter: [YOUR NAME] | Date: [DATE]

STEP 1: ARE PROCEEDINGS ACTIVE?
Proceedings become active under Schedule 1 of the 1981 Act when a person is arrested, a warrant for arrest is issued, a summons is issued, or a person is charged orally.
[ ] Proceedings are active (arrest/charge/summons has occurred)
[ ] Proceedings are not yet active (e.g. pre-arrest investigation reporting only)

STEP 2: DOES MY COPY RISK SUBSTANTIAL PREJUDICE?
Check whether the copy includes any of the following:
[ ] Previous convictions or bad character evidence not yet before the court
[ ] Confession details not yet admitted as evidence
[ ] Assertions of guilt or innocence beyond what has been said in open court
[ ] Photographs or descriptions that could aid identification where identity is disputed
[ ] Speculation about evidence not yet heard by the jury
[ ] Interviews with witnesses that could influence their evidence or that of others

STEP 3: IS THIS A FAIR, ACCURATE, CONTEMPORANEOUS REPORT?
[ ] Report reflects only what was said in open court
[ ] Report is balanced (includes defence and prosecution positions where given)
[ ] Report will be published as soon as practicable after the hearing (contemporaneous)
If yes to all three, section 4(1) contemporaneous report protection likely applies.

STEP 4: ANY SPECIFIC RESTRICTION ORDER IN PLACE?
[ ] Checked for Section 4(2) postponement order
[ ] Checked for Section 11 order withholding a name or matter from the public
[ ] Checked for reporting restrictions from a related linked case

DECISION
[ ] Cleared to publish as drafted
[ ] Requires amendment — see notes below
[ ] Requires legal read before publication

Notes: ________________________________________________
Signed off by: _______________________ Date: ___________

Reference: Contempt of Court Act 1981, s.2 (strict liability rule) and Schedule 1 (active proceedings).

Template 3: Quote Verification Log

Cross-check your quotes against your notes or recording to preserve your qualified privilege defence.

QUOTE VERIFICATION LOG — COURT REPORTING

Case: [CASE NAME/REFERENCE] | Hearing date: [DATE]
Reporter: [YOUR NAME]

For each quote used in copy:

| Speaker | Quote (as filed) | Source (shorthand/recording/note) | Cross-checked against | Verified (Y/N) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [NAME/ROLE] | "[EXACT QUOTE]" | [Shorthand notebook page / audio timestamp] | [Colleague's notes / official transcript if available] | [Y/N] |

VERIFICATION RULES
[ ] Quotes are transcribed as close to verbatim as your notes allow
[ ] Ambiguous or inaudible passages are marked and not filled in from memory
[ ] Attribution is accurate (correct speaker, correct role — e.g. prosecuting counsel vs defence counsel)
[ ] Where an official transcript becomes available later, cross-check and correct if needed

IF UNCERTAIN
[ ] Do not publish a quote you cannot substantiate from your own notes or a recording
[ ] Paraphrase instead of quoting directly where wording is uncertain
[ ] Flag uncertain quotes to the desk before publication

Reference: qualified privilege for court reporting requires a fair, accurate, and contemporaneous report — inaccurate quotes can undermine this defence.

Template 4: Restrictions-Check Checklist

Run through this before filing to catch automatic and discretionary reporting restrictions.

RESTRICTIONS-CHECK CHECKLIST — BEFORE FILING

Case: [CASE NAME/REFERENCE] | Court: [NAME] | Date: [DATE]

AUTOMATIC STATUTORY RESTRICTIONS
[ ] Youth court proceedings — automatic anonymity for under-18 defendants/witnesses (s.49 Children and Young Persons Act 1933)
[ ] Sexual offence complainants — lifetime anonymity (Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992)
[ ] Any statutory restriction relating to blackmail victims or modern slavery victims, where applicable

DISCRETIONARY ORDERS TO CHECK FOR
[ ] Section 4(2) Contempt of Court Act 1981 — postponement of reporting of all or part of proceedings
[ ] Section 11 Contempt of Court Act 1981 — withholding a name or matter from publication
[ ] Section 45/45A Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 — anonymity for under-18s in adult courts, or vulnerable witnesses
[ ] Reporting restriction linked to a postponed or separate related trial

HOW TO CHECK ON THE DAY
[ ] Ask the court clerk or usher before the hearing whether any orders are in force
[ ] Check the court noticeboard for posted restriction notices
[ ] Listen for any restriction announced by the judge during the hearing — note exact wording
[ ] If reporting on a case spanning multiple days, re-check daily — orders can be varied

BEFORE PUBLISHING
[ ] Confirm no restricted name, address, or identifying detail appears in the copy
[ ] Confirm headline and social media promotion also comply (a compliant article with a non-compliant headline is still a breach)
[ ] If in doubt, hold copy and check with newsdesk/legal before filing

Sources: judiciary.uk, HMCTS reporting restrictions guidance, IPSO Editors' Code, Contempt of Court Act 1981.

Primary sources

judiciary.uk — reporting restrictions guidance for criminal courts
HMCTS (gov.uk/courts-tribunals) — court lists, listings, and operational guidance
IPSO Editors’ Code — accuracy and reporting of legal proceedings
Contempt of Court Act 1981 — strict liability rule and active proceedings

Frequently asked questions

What is the strict liability rule under the Contempt of Court Act 1981?

Section 2 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 creates strict liability contempt for publications that create a substantial risk of serious prejudice to active legal proceedings, regardless of intent. Proceedings become "active" once a person is arrested, a warrant is issued, or a summons is served. This means you can be in contempt even if you did not intend to prejudice the case — always run the contempt-check form before filing on an active case.

What reporting restrictions should I check for before every hearing?

At minimum, check for: automatic reporting restrictions on youth court proceedings (s.49 Children and Young Persons Act 1933), sexual offence complainant anonymity (Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992), any Section 4(2) postponement order or Section 11 name-withholding order under the Contempt of Court Act 1981, and any specific reporting restriction order made by the judge that day. The restrictions-check checklist in this pack covers each of these.

Can I report on a case that has not yet gone to trial?

You can report the fact of arrest, charge, and basic case details (name, age, charge, plea, and next hearing date), but you must avoid anything that creates a substantial risk of serious prejudice to a fair trial — this includes previous convictions, confession details not yet before the jury, or commentary suggesting guilt. Contemporaneous, accurate, and fair reports of court proceedings held in public are protected by section 4(1) of the 1981 Act.

How accurate do my quotes from court need to be?

Court reporting relies on qualified privilege, which requires your report to be fair, accurate, and contemporaneous (or as soon as practicable after the hearing). Inaccurate quotes can undermine this defence and expose you to defamation risk as well as complaints. Use the quote verification log in this pack to cross-check your shorthand or recording against the official record where possible before publication.

What should I do if I am not sure whether a restriction applies?

Ask the court clerk or usher before the hearing whether any reporting restrictions are in place, and check the court list and noticeboard, which should display active orders. If in doubt, contact your newsdesk or legal team before publishing. Judiciary.uk and HMCTS publish general guidance, but restriction orders can be made or varied during a hearing, so always confirm on the day.