"Every court should be open to every subject of the Queen.
I think it is one of the essentials of justice being done in the community. Every judge, in a sense, is on trial to see that he does his job properly. Reporters are there, representing the public, to see that magistrates and judges behave themselves. Children's courts should also be open. Names should be kept out but the public should know what happens to the child and proceedings should never be conducted behind closed doors
......
Somehow I believe, in the words of Jeremy Bentham, that in the darkness of secrecy all sorts of things can go wrong.

And if things are really done in public you can see that the judge does behave himself, the newspapers can comment on it if he misbehaves- it keeps everyone in order".

"It is of first importance that all proceedings should be held in public and this includes the delivery of judgments together with the reasons for them. This is so that everyone who wishes to do so can come into court and hear what takes place; and also that the reported cases can be taken down by reporters for their own use."

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