Rule changes came into force on 27 April 2009 which allows media representatives to attend most family proceedings. They also provide that the court can exclude such representatives from all (or part) of individual hearings for reasons set out in the relevant Practice Direction. Media Access to the Family Courts: A Guide to the New Rules and their Application provides an essential examination of the extent of these reforms and analyses how they should operate in practice. Representations to the court are made orally and usually without notice. Thus immediate access to the relevant source material is critical for both lawyers and the media. This is an essential guide for the judiciary (including magistracy, justices' clerks, legal advisers), barristers, solicitors, and the Press.