A County Council v SB & Ors

A County Council v SB & Ors

The normal rule of disclosure applies; the parents' Article 6 ECHR right to a fair hearing outweighs any risk to A from disclosure. The expert's second report must be disclosed to all parties, as the case does not meet the high threshold for non-disclosure.

Parties
Applicant: A County Council; Respondent: SB; Respondent: MA; Respondent: AA
Jurisdiction
England and Wales
Judgment Date
15 October 2010
Procedural Posture
Care Proceedings / Interlocutory Judgment on Disclosure
Outcome
Expert's second report ordered to be disclosed to all parties.
Legal Topics
Disclosure of Expert Reports, Confidentiality in Children Act Proceedings, Forced Marriage, Honour Based Violence

Case Brief

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Parties

A County Council

Applicant

SB

Respondent

MA

Respondent

AA

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Care Proceedings / Interlocutory Judgment on Disclosure

  1. 1 Whether the expert's second report containing confidential information should be disclosed to the parties
  2. 2 Balancing Article 6 ECHR fair hearing rights against potential harm to the child from disclosure
  3. 3 Role of confidentiality assurances in expert evidence

Ratio Decidendi

The normal rule of disclosure applies; the parents' Article 6 ECHR right to a fair hearing outweighs any risk to A from disclosure. The expert's second report must be disclosed to all parties, as the case does not meet the high threshold for non-disclosure.

Court Disposition

Expert's second report ordered to be disclosed to all parties.

Orders

  • Expert's second report to be disclosed to all parties.
  • No onward disclosure by parties beyond themselves.