Open Justice UK is a transparency organisation. We campaign for greater openness in the court system, obtain and publish court transcripts, and work to hold institutions to account at a policy level. We are not a legal advice service, a casework organisation, or a charity providing individual support.

We receive a significant number of emails from members of the public who have experienced serious problems with the justice system, including concerns about family court proceedings, police conduct, and criminal cases. We read every message and we take what people share with us seriously. But it is important to be honest about the limits of what we can do.

What we cannot help with

We are unable to advise on individual cases. This includes family court proceedings, care orders and child removal, complaints about police conduct or the handling of investigations, challenges to court judgments or sentencing decisions, and local authority conduct. We are also not experienced in family law, and would not be the right organisation to advise on cases involving care proceedings even where transparency concerns are present.

We can assist with obtaining court transcripts, but only where the person making the request is willing for their transcript to be published as part of our work. We are not able to obtain transcripts for private use. If you need a transcript for personal reasons and do not wish it to be published, please see the guidance below on how to apply directly.

If you contact us about a personal legal situation, we will do our best to point you in the right direction, but we are not in a position to review case documents, provide legal analysis, or act as advocates on your behalf.

What we can help with

We are interested in systemic issues: patterns of conduct, policy failures, and questions about how justice is administered that go beyond individual cases. If you have experienced something, or have information about a friend or relative's case, that speaks to broader concerns about transparency or accountability in the courts or criminal justice system, we would like to hear from you.

We review all contact carefully but cannot take on every case. We prioritise matters where evidence has the potential to drive wider reform.

If you are a victim of a crime with a public interest element, including grooming gang cases and other landmark trials, we may be able to help you obtain your court records and cover the associated costs, where you are comfortable with significant parts being published. Please contact info@openjusticeuk.org for more information on this.

Applying for a transcript yourself

You may be able to apply for a transcript directly, and in some cases at no cost.

Since May 2024, victims of rape and other sexual offences can request a free copy of the judge's sentencing remarks in their case, as part of a Ministry of Justice pilot scheme. Family members of victims of murder, manslaughter, or an offence that caused death on the road are also eligible. Sentencing remarks set out the judge's decision and the reasons for the sentence imposed.

If you fall into one of these categories, you can apply via the government's online service or by downloading a paper form at gov.uk/apply-transcript-court-tribunal-hearing.

If you are not eligible for a free transcript, you can still apply through the same service, though fees will apply. We are happy to explain the process if that would help.