Christina Michalos has been invited to address the Law Commission Symposium on the law of contempt taking place on 16th January 2013. This is a half day symposium in conjunction with the Law Commission’s consultation paper on contempt of court.
The symposium opened by Lord Justice Lloyd Jones is before 150 specially invited guests (including media lawyers in-house and in private practice, journalists, academics, and members of the judiciary). There are plenary sessions discussing four topics: contempt by publication, contempt and modern media, contempt by jurors, and contempt in the face of the court. Each plenary session is to be led by a panel of experts each of whom are giving short presentations.
Christina Michalos has been asked to appear as a member of the Contempt and Modern Media panel. She will be speaking about the internet, social media and contempt in the light of her involvement in the case of R v Harwood where she appeared as amicus to the Court.
R v Harwood concerned the issue of whether the media could be held liable for contempt under the strict liability rule in respect of historic publications of unrelated but prejudicial conduct by a defendant that were still accessible via newspaper internet archives.
