Require disputed court orders to be checked against the hearing recording.

Background

Written court orders can sometimes differ from what the judge said in court. People can be arrested and prosecuted on the written version. HMCTS keeps audio recordings of hearings. We want a right to have a disputed order verified against the recording before it is enforced.

Additional details

Breaching some court orders, including non-molestation orders, is a criminal offence carrying up to 5 years’ imprisonment. Yet where the accuracy of an order is disputed, we are concerned there is no clear procedure requiring it to be checked against the official hearing recording. We ask the Government to introduce prompt, free verification, pause enforcement where material discrepancies arise, require notice and reasons for substantive amendments, and strengthen accountability for inaccurate court records.

Where it’s popular

Constituencies with the most signatures on this petition.