Petition · Ministry of Justice

Introduce mandatory filming of all non-jury court proceedings in England & Wales

Closed 59 signatures

What the petition asks

Legislate for mandatory video recording of all non-jury criminal and civil court proceedings (eg. police body cameras), with footage available on request to any party receiving an adverse order, ensuring full transparency, accountability, and protection from judicial error or prejudice without jury.
Current UK law on court filming is outdated (Supreme Court Act 1981 s.47; Crime and Courts Act 2013 s.32 – limited to Supreme Court and certain appeals, excluding lower courts). We believe mandatory filming would prevent potential prejudice, allowing parties to request footage and full public transparency in life-changing decisions.

Timeline

13 Jan 2026 Petition opened for signatures
13 Jul 2026 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 59
Status Closed
Department Ministry of Justice
Opened 13 Jan 2026
Closed 13 Jul 2026

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 18 Aug 2026.