NCTJ Court Reporting Practice Exam

What is the main significance of open justice?

1. To ensure trials are completed quickly

2. To prohibit media involvement in trials

3. To demonstrate that justice is "seen to be done"

4. To reduce the number of appeals

The correct answer is: To demonstrate that justice is "seen to be done"

The main significance of open justice is to demonstrate that justice is "seen to be done." This principle emphasizes the importance of transparency in the legal process, ensuring that court proceedings are conducted in public and are accessible to members of the community. By allowing the public and the media to observe trials, the open justice principle fosters accountability within the justice system and helps to maintain public confidence in legal outcomes. This transparency ensures that legal proceedings are not only fair but also perceived as fair by the public, reinforcing the integrity of the judicial process. The other options do not accurately capture the essence of open justice. Ensuring trials are completed quickly, prohibiting media involvement, and reducing the number of appeals may address certain aspects of the judicial system but do not reflect the foundational role that transparency and public scrutiny play in upholding the concept of justice.