Historically there has been little information available from prior family law cases to couples to help them determine how their case may be dealt with in Court.

To tackle this issue the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 was introduced and became operative in January 2014.

The 2013 Act allows members of the media to attend and report on family and child care hearings.  The Act specifically prohibits publication that:-

• Identifies the parties to the case;
• Discloses personal or commercially sensitive information e.g. medical histories, tax affairs, high net worth or sexual orientation.

A breach can lead to a fine of €50,000 and/or a term of imprisonment of up to 12 months.

If a party to a family or child care hearing is concerned about the publication of sensitive information or that a witness may be hindered from giving evidence they should apply for a media restriction.

What questions do you have?

If you are seeking advice in relation to family law cases please contact Paul Leonard or Lisa Byrne of our forensic and mediation team who have worked on a large number of these cases. Call 01 677 9000 or email: Paul pleonard@cooneycarey.ie or Lisa lbyrne@cooneycarey.ie.

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