Media and Communications List

The Media and Communications List (or MAC List) is a specialist court of the King’s Bench Division. A High Court Judge, known as the Judge in Charge of the Media and Communications List, is appointed to lead the MAC List, in accordance with Civil Procedure Rule (CPR) 53.2(2). This position is currently held jointly by Mrs Justice Collins Rice and Mrs Justice Steyn.

In accordance with CPR 53.1, the MAC List deals with:

  • all claims for defamation,
  • misuse of private information,
  • data protection,
  • harassment by publication (i.e. harassment arising from publication or threatened publication by the print or broadcast media, online, on social media or in speech),
  • malicious falsehood,
  • and similar or related publication/media claims.

For most of the 20th century media litigation mainly consisted of claims for defamation, principally libel, most of which were tried by jury. The jury list was managed by the Judge in Charge of the Jury List.

Much has changed since then. The abolition of the presumption in favour of jury trial means that defamation claims now stand on an equal footing with other kinds of claim, almost invariably being determined by a judge alone. Other causes of action relating to publications and media activities have gained in prominence.

The Media and Communications List was created in March 2017. It was intended to give new focus to this important specialism within the King’s Bench Division and to modernise listing arrangements. Part 53 of the CPR, together with the related Practice Directions and Practice Guidance, sets out the rules relating to claims in the MAC List.

MAC List Judges are those High Court Judges, or Deputy High Court Judges, who are authorised to hear claims in the MAC List. All MAC List claims are heard by MAC List Judges (save exceptionally in accordance with CPR 53.2(4)) or by the King’s Bench Masters, led by the Senior Master, who have an important role in the management of these cases just as they do in respect of other King’s Bench List claims.

Claims in the Media and Communications List are heard in the Royal Courts of Justice.