JC -v- Hertfordshire County Council (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2023-LON-002602

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

6 September 2023

Before:

Mrs Justice Heather Williams DBE

Between:

The King on the application of
JC (by her mother and Litigation Friend KC)

-v-

Hertfordshire County Council

Order

UPON reading the Application for Urgent Consideration, Claim Form and Statement of Facts and Grounds
IT IS ORDERED

Directions

(1) This matter is certified as suitable for expedition.
(2) The Defendant is to file and serve acknowledgement of service and summary grounds of defence within 14 days after service of the Claim Form.
(3) The matter shall be promptly referred to a Judge for urgent consideration of permission and further directions thereafter.

Anonymity

(4) Pursuant to CPR rule 39.2(4), there shall not be disclosed in any report of the proceedings the name or address of the Claimant or her mother and litigation friend or any details leading to their identification. If referred to, they shall only be referred to as “JC” and “KC” respectively.
(5) Pursuant to CPR rule 5.4C a person who is not a party to the proceedings may obtain a copy of a statement of case, judgment or order from the court records only if the statement of case, judgment or order has been anonymised such that: (a) the Claimant and her mother and litigation friend are referred to in those
documents only by the letters “JC” and “KC” respectively; and (b) any reference to their names have been deleted from those documents.
(6) Liberty to the parties to apply on 48 hours’ notice. Any person affected by the orders at (4) and (5) may apply on 48 hours’ notice.
(7) Costs in the case.

Reasons

  1. I am satisfied for the reasons identified at Section 4 of the Application for Urgent Consideration that it is appropriate to expedite time for the service of the acknowledgment of service (“AOS”) in this case. However, I decline to direct a rolled-up hearing at this stage. That issue is better addressed once the AOS is available.
  2. Given that the Claimant is a child and given the subject matter of the claim, I am satisfied that it is necessary to order the restrictions upon publicity that I have set out and to grant anonymity. I have balanced these considerations against the importance of open justice.