In the case of XYZ, the president of the family division in the High Court has ruled that a paediatrician, acting as an expert witness in child protection proceedings, can be publicly named. He also ruled that the expert report and the expert's fee can be made public.
The second case, Jones v Kaney, ruled that expert witnesses were no longer immune from being sued. Members of the Royal College gave evidence in XYZ and as an organisation we sought to oppose the abolition of anonymity, based on the best interests of the child.
However, it is fair to say that we cannot now expect anonymity for expert witnesses. Freedom of expression rules the roost and we are now in an era of increased transparency and openness, both in family court proceedings and at national government level generally.
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