Happy Third Birthday to the Open Justice Court of Protection Project

By Celia Kitzinger, Gill Loomes-Quinn, Claire Martin and Kirsty Stuart, 15 June 2023

Three years ago today, on 15^thJune 2020, Celia and Gill launched the Open Justice Court of Protection Project, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was born of our passionate belief that “publicity is the very soul of justice” at a time when it seemed that the public health emergency was closing down the opportunity for people to observe the court in action.

When the COVID-19 public health emergency first began in March 2020, Court of Protection hearings moved from physical courtrooms to ‘remote’ hearings via telephone and video-platforms.  For months, Celia had been supporting “Sarah” through the decision-making process about whether life-sustaining treatment was in her father’s (P’s) best interests. It had just reached court – and it turned out to be the first all-remote hearing of the pandemic. It was a…