A Guardian News & Media spokesperson told CNN in an emailed statement that the High Court’s decision to ban the media from the court hearing without informing outlets or allowing them to make representations “is a clear threat to the principles of open justice.”
“It is also concerning that the court appears to believe that only the attorney general can speak to the public interest,” the spokesperson continued. “We are seeking permission to argue that the behaviour of the high court in this instance constitutes a failure of open justice and that the case should be reheard.”
According to British law, if a person prepares a will prior to their death, it becomes a public document after being admitted to probate, and anyone can obtain a copy from the Probate Registry for a fee.
However, anyone can ask the court to “seal” a will and keep it private, according to Geoff Kertesz and Judith Swinhoe-Standen from UK law firm Stewarts. “The court must be persuaded that it would be ‘undesirable or otherwise inappropriate’ to make the will public,”…
