Other reporting restrictions
There are a number of other situations in which reporting restrictions either apply automatically, or can be specifically ordered by a court.
Automatic restrictions apply to:
- reports of preliminary/committal proceedings in magistrates' courts in England. We can only report certain very basic details.
- petition proceedings in Scotland which may be reported in a restricted way. Please refer to BBC lawyers in Glasgow.
- proceedings under the Children Act. We must not publish anything which is likely to identify any child as being involved in such proceedings.
These restrictions can be lifted or varied by a court.
Some of the more common reporting restrictions which may be ordered include:
- "Section 39 orders", preventing the identification of under eighteens involved in proceedings before an adult court.
- "Postponement orders", preventing publication of reports of proceedings until after the conclusion of related proceedings or until the court lifts or varies the restrictions.
- "Anonymity orders", where the court has allowed a person's details to be withheld, for example in blackmail cases.