Can the Queen be called as a witness in her own courts? FOIA video link appeal hearing Wednesday 23 September
Dr Robin Callender Smith
Author@ ARBITA + Honorary Professor of Media Law @ QMUL
At 10 am on Wednesday 23 September, via a CPV (court video link), the hearing of the Crown Prosecution Service's FOIA appeal against being required to tell me the the answer to a simple, but unresolved question, will be heard. Basically, can the Queen be called as a witness in her own court? The R v R conundrum.
For those unfamiliar with the issue, see:https://inforrm.org/2019/07/09/will-we-discover-when-the-queen-can-be-required-to-give-evidence-in-court-robin-callender-smith/
Any member of the press and public can apply to have access to this hearing. The appeal reference is EA/2019/0275. Apply to the Information Rights Tribunal or HMCTS (but NOT to me).
Most of the hearing will be public but there will be some brief, "closed" submissions. Worth getting access to if you have never experienced a CPV hearing. Judgment is unlikely on the day: probably four weeks later.