Justice must not just be done, but it must be seen to be done. The principle of Open Justice enables the public to understand and scrutinise the justice system, and it is argued that it is essential to maintaining public confidence in the administration of justice. 

Coroner’s courts sit in public and there is always a presumption of open justice. What that means in practice however is often variable, and given the demise in local reporting, many inquests are heard in empty court rooms. What follows are a number of blog posts where I discuss thoughts related to my experiences of open justice.