Open Justice Court of Protection Project

Promoting Open Justice in the Court of Protection Post by @OpenJusticeCoP.

After a busy few months, we're having a break from posting listings until Monday 13 October 2025.

On our homepage, you can find links to websites that host case lists. We also have a guide on how to access a hearing.

#NotSecretCourt

openjusticecourtofprotection.org

Authenticity of a “Living Will” None of us would want our loved ones to be placed (like AB’s fiancee) in the position of having to defend the authenticity of our written documents after we’ve lost capacity.  We want to prod…

New blog post

Family does not pursue allegations of fraud & undue influence

Advance Decision confirmed authentic

#NotSecretCourt

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/20/a...

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Today before Poole J

After death of protected party, family seek extension of reporting restrictions, opposed by fiancee

As intervenor, I supported open justice

Massive thanks to Emma Sutton KC + Gemma McNeil Walsh for outstanding pro-bono representation

www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWC...

Should surgery be delayed while the legal framework relating to capacity is established? SJ Hilder’s view was that it would be wrong for planned surgery to be delayed while legal framework issues were resolved.  The judge ran this hearing with clinical precision, setting out clearly wh…

HHJ Hilder makes decisions concerning urgent gallbladder surgery urgently in context of some uncertainty about P's capacity.

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/15/s...

An emergency statutory will for a dying man This is a situation that could confront any of us – and our partners, ex-partners, family and friends. … Another lesson from this case is the need to keep wills under review. One option…

New blog post

His 2014 will gives his ex-partner rights he now says he doesn't want her to have.

But he lacks testamentary capacity.

His son and daughter apply to the court to change his will

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/11/a...

Promoting Open Justice in the Court of Protection Post by @OpenJusticeCoP.

One featured hearing for Monday 15th September:
openjusticecourtofprotection.org

Barrister's Oxford falsehood leads to disbarment Tribunal chair laments silk's 'reckless, foolish and completely unnecessary lie'.

BREAKING: Kings Counsel disbarred after lying that he had attended Oxford Univerity. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/barrist...

An emergency statutory will for a dying man This is a situation that could confront any of us – and our partners, ex-partners, family and friends. … Another lesson from this case is the need to keep wills under review. One option…

New blog post

His 2014 will gives his ex-partner rights he now says he doesn't want her to have.

But he lacks testamentary capacity.

His son and daughter apply to the court to change his will

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/11/a...

Thank you to everyone who came along (22 people including lawyers, social workers, family members of P). Some great questions and issues raised - we hope you'll observe some hearings and blog for us!

I'm looking forward to this - starting in a couple of hours. It's not too late to book your place and come along!

Lieven J grapples with cuckooing and the effect of a DOL order By Daniel Clark, 27th August 2025 This case concerns a young man with a hypoxic brain injury arising from a cardiac arrest. He is a drug user and a victim of cuckooing, (which is when a person’s dw…

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"I'm very unconvinced as a point of principle that depriving someone of their liberty to force them to undergo therapy is a good way forward"

Lieven J addresses the challenges of a "cuckooing" case with characteristic frankness

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/08/27/l...

Making it possible for families to tell their Court of Protection stories: How we got the reporting restrictions changed (while P is still alive) By Celia Kitzinger, 29th August 2025 Earlier this month, Sandra and Joe Preston published an account of their experience in the Court of Protection and queried whether the case about their relative…

Why it mattered to Joe and Sandra Preston to be able to tell the story of the DOLS assessments and COP case they went through for Joe's mum, and how we made a successful application to the court for variation to the reporting restrictions.

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/08/29/m...

Today (Thursday 11 September 2025) at 5.30pm, we are running a small friendly webinar on how to observe (remote) hearings in the Court of Protection. Everyone welcome - if you'd like to join us just send us an email and we'll send you the link.

Decision to remove a professional deputy (without a fact-finding hearing): DJ Clarke in action I’ve observed a lot of different judges in a lot of different hearings.  If I were P, or a member of P’s family, DJ Clarke is a judge I’d be very happy to have hearing my case.

"I’ve observed a lot of different judges in a lot of different hearings. If I were P, or a member of P’s family, DJ Clarke is a judge I’d be very happy to have hearing my case"

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/09/d...

Today's the day. Come and meet us at 5.30pm and hear about what we do and how we can support you to observe Court of Protection hearings!

#openjustice #NotSecretCourt

Safeguarding Mum: The “vile” judgment and the daughter’s story “Can we stress in your piece that social services need to listen to the families. That’s what I want to get out of this. They need to listen and understand that we have their best interests at hear…

New blog post: "Safeguarding Mum: The “vile” judgment and the daughter’s story"

#NotSecretCourt - especially "not secret" after a committal hearing (finally).

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/05/s...

Promoting Open Justice in the Court of Protection Post by @OpenJusticeCoP.

Featured hearing Tuesday 9 September 2025.

Court of Appeal 12noon, CVP (remote) link available.

Luba Macpherson's appeal against her committal. See Featured Hearing page for recent blogs & contact information to request the link to observe.

openjusticecourtofprotection.org

Promoting Open Justice in the Court of Protection Post by @OpenJusticeCoP.

Featured hearing Tuesday 9 September 2025.

Court of Appeal 12noon, CVP (remote) link available.

Luba Macpherson's appeal against her committal. See Featured Hearing page for recent blogs & contact information to request the link to observe.

openjusticecourtofprotection.org

Promoting Open Justice in the Court of Protection Post by @OpenJusticeCoP.

Featured hearing Tuesday 9 September 2025.

Court of Appeal 12noon, CVP (remote) link available.

Luba Macpherson's appeal against her committal. See Featured Hearing page for recent blogs & contact information to request the link to observe.

openjusticecourtofprotection.org

Safeguarding Mum: The “vile” judgment and the daughter’s story “Can we stress in your piece that social services need to listen to the families. That’s what I want to get out of this. They need to listen and understand that we have their best interests at hear…

New blog post: "Safeguarding Mum: The “vile” judgment and the daughter’s story"

#NotSecretCourt - especially "not secret" after a committal hearing (finally).

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/05/s...

Timely and effective access to the court:  Four case studies with judges struggling to deliver on transparency By Claire Martin, 25th August 2025 Transparency and open justice are principles at the heart of our justice system.  Last year, the Lady Chief Justice created a Transparency and Open Justice B…

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The MoJ Transparency & Open Justice Board wants us to have "timely + effective access" to the court.

In this new blog, @doccmartin.bsky.social charts the on-the-ground practical obstacles to achieving transparency, despite judges' best efforts.

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/08/25/t...

How to observe remote hearings in the Court of ProtectionA one-hour webinar Thursday 11th September 2025, 5.30pm-6.30pm Ever wanted to observe a hearing in the Court of Protection? Come to our small friendly webinar on how to observe remotely (via video-link) from the comfort of your own home. Hosted by Claire and Celia. It’s free and open to anyone – email us for more info (openjustice@yahoo.com)

A week and a day to go until the next OJCOP webinar: How to observe remote hearings in the Court of Protection.

Still time to sign up!

Email us at openjustice@yahoo.com

At the margins of ‘Deprivation of Liberty’: On not losing myself – care and thoughtfulness from HHJ Beckley That experience has helped me to understand, on a visceral level, how easily autonomy can be subsumed under the guise of safety, support, and risk management. I notice the gulf between how I descri…

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New from @magsbk.bsky.social whose partner has dementia

"HHJ Beckley’s humanity offered a vital counterpoint to the helplessness I felt on the hospital ward & reminded me that small acts of recognition + thoughtfulness can matter profoundly"

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/01/a...

The author of this piece is Maggie, whose partner has dementia.

He is "deprived of his liberty" in hospital.

Here she describes watching a case in the Court of Protection - where she worries she and her partner could be some time soon.

Pleased to report, she found the judge rather wonderful.

How to observe remote hearings in the Court of ProtectionA one-hour webinar Thursday 11th September 2025, 5.30pm-6.30pm Ever wanted to observe a hearing in the Court of Protection? Come to our small friendly webinar on how to observe remotely (via video-link) from the comfort of your own home. Hosted by Claire and Celia. It’s free and open to anyone – email us for more info (openjustice@yahoo.com)

A week and a day to go until the next OJCOP webinar: How to observe remote hearings in the Court of Protection.

Still time to sign up!

Email us at openjustice@yahoo.com

HHJ Beckley was the first judge I observed when I was preparing for my own CoP hearing. He put me at my ease and made me feel less anxious. @magsbk.bsky.social had a similar experience, as she recounts in this great blog. HHJ Beckley is a great judge to observe

At the margins of ‘Deprivation of Liberty’: On not losing myself – care and thoughtfulness from HHJ Beckley That experience has helped me to understand, on a visceral level, how easily autonomy can be subsumed under the guise of safety, support, and risk management. I notice the gulf between how I descri…

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New from @magsbk.bsky.social whose partner has dementia

"HHJ Beckley’s humanity offered a vital counterpoint to the helplessness I felt on the hospital ward & reminded me that small acts of recognition + thoughtfulness can matter profoundly"

openjusticecourtofprotection.org/2025/09/01/a...

AI Hallucinations and/or Fabricated Citations Aug 2025 Weekly tracker of AI hallucinations and/or fabricated citations in court filings, sanctions and referrals, with case summaries from 26 to 29 Aug 2025.

Weekly Update on International AI Hallucinations and/or Fabricated Citations: 25–31 August 2025 naturalandartificiallaw.com/ai-hallucina... #AIlaw #AI #AIhallucinations

Communications & Operations Assistant (COA06/25) We are recruiting for a Communications & Operations Assistant to support our work across two key departments.

Do you want to help with our work towards a better health and social care system?

We’re recruiting a Communications and Operations Assistant, to work across two teams and provide wide-ranging support across the Nuffield Trust.

Apply here by 12 September 👇

www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/job/communic...

Council provides suitable housing to profoundly disabled man following urgent judicial review challenging Care Act breach

@gardencourtlaw.bsky.social

www.rightsnet.org.uk/now/post/67991