Family Court Reporting – Should Celebrities Be Treated Differently?

The divorce proceedings taking place between Britpop icon Noel Gallagher and his soon-to-be ex wife Nicole Appleton have so far been subject to reporting restrictions but an application to lift reporting restrictions has provoked resistance from the pair.

While being a celebrity gives you many advantages in life such as wealth and status it doesn’t buy freedom or privacy. Celebrities find themselves even more in the spotlight when it comes to divorce because there are always a large number of fans and other interested people out there who like to know who gets what in any settlement.

The Appleton and Gallagher are not simply going to give up the restrictions without a fight and, according to reports in the Guardian this month, a landmark legal dispute will be focused on what can be deemed as being in the public interest when it comes to reporting on the case.

The case for reporting restrictions to be lifted rests on the need for people to learn from the case and also how assets are divided in such cases. This is a valid argument and one that is likely to see restrictions lifted if it is also found that reporting on the case would not cause either party damage or distress. The couples private life has already been the subject of tabloid gossip.