At OpenCourtData.uk, we aim to foster transparent, constructive, and respectful discussions surrounding public court records, legal transparency, and judicial data.
To maintain a safe, legally compliant, and high-quality environment for all users, all comments posted on OpenCourtData.uk are subject to the following Comment Policy. By posting a comment, you agree to abide by these guidelines.
1. Summary (Short Version)
OpenCourtData.uk welcomes respectful discussion on public court records and judicial transparency. We strictly prohibit harassment, doxxing, contempt of court/active reporting restrictions, hate speech, and spam. Violations will result in comment removal and account bans.
2. Core Community Rules
A. Respect Legal Restrictions & Reporting Bans
Because OpenCourtData.uk handles legal and judicial information, users must be mindful of reporting restrictions.
- Contempt of Court: Do not post information that violates court orders, reporting restrictions, anonymization orders, or injunctions (e.g., revealing protected identities, sexual assault victims, or juvenile defendants).
- Prejudice to Ongoing Proceedings: Do not post speculative or non-public details about active trials that could prejudice ongoing court proceedings.
B. Zero Tolerance for Doxxing & Personal Data
Do not share private personal information (PII) of private individuals, court staff, jurors, or other commenters. This includes personal addresses, phone numbers, private email addresses, workplace details, or social security/national insurance numbers.
C. Civil & Constructive Discourse
- Target the Idea, Not the Person: Debate judicial rulings, legal principles, and public policy, but refrain from personal attacks, insults, or harassment directed at other users, legal professionals, or public figures.
- No Hate Speech or Harassment: Discrimination, hate speech, threats of violence, or targeted harassment based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age will be removed immediately.
D. Relevance & Quality
- Stay On-Topic: Comments should directly relate to the specific case, article, or legal data thread on which they are posted.
- No Spam or Self-Promotion: Unsolicited commercial links, self-promotion, repeated duplicate messages, or affiliate marketing links are strictly prohibited.
3. Moderation & Enforcement
- Pre/Post-Moderation: Comments are monitored using automated filters and human moderation. First-time commenters or posts containing links may be held in a queue prior to publishing.
- Removal & Account Action: We reserve the right to edit, remove, or flag any comment that violates this policy without prior notice. Repeat or severe violations will result in permanent account suspension or IP blocks.
- Legal Compliance: In cases involving severe illegal activity or explicit court order breaches, details may be preserved or reported to relevant authorities where required by law.
4. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is my comment pending approval?
Comments containing external links, specific keywords, or those submitted by new accounts may automatically enter our moderation queue to prevent spam and illegal content. Please allow our team time to review it.
How do I report an inappropriate comment or legal breach?
If you spot a comment that breaches court reporting restrictions, contains private data, or violates our guidelines, please click the Report/Flag button next to the comment or contact our team directly at support@opencourtdata.uk with a link to the page.
Last Updated: July 2026