No prejudicial publicity for pending cases court

The ethical obligations that apply in relation to your professional practice generally continue to apply in relation to media comment. In particular, barristers should be aware of the following: ... Trust and confidence: Core Duty 5 provides that you must not behave in a way which is likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public places in you or the profession.

BSB Handbook · current · archived copy · official source ↗

A solicitor must not publish or take steps towards the publication of any material concerning current proceedings which may prejudice a fair trial or the administration of justice.

Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules · 2015 (June 2026 compilation) · archived copy · official source ↗

A barrister must not publish or take any step towards the publication of any material concerning any current proceeding in which the barrister is appearing ... which publication- (a) is known to the barrister to be inaccurate; ... (c) appears to or does express the opinion of the barrister on the merits of a current or potential proceeding.

Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules · 2015 (as amended 14 May 2025) · archived copy · official source ↗

A solicitor should avoid any comment, in advance of any determination, that would be prejudicial to the administration of justice.

Solicitor's Guide to Professional Conduct (Law Society of Ireland) · 4th ed. (2022) · archived copy · official source ↗

In recognition of a Barrister's duty of confidentiality and independence a Barrister may not make any public comment upon any case in which the Barrister has been briefed or instructed or upon any of the parties involved in the case.

Code of Conduct for the Bar of Ireland · 2024 · archived copy · official source ↗

A lawyer shall not communicate information to the media or make public statements about a matter before a tribunal if the lawyer knows or ought to know that the information or statement will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing a party's right to a fair trial or hearing.

Law Society of Ontario — Rules of Professional Conduct · current · archived copy · official source ↗

A lawyer must not communicate information to the media or make public statements about a matter before a tribunal if the lawyer knows or ought to know that the information or statement will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing a party's right to a fair trial or hearing.

Code of Professional Conduct for British Columbia (BC Code) · 2017 · archived copy · official source ↗

A lawyer must not act in a way that undermines the processes of the court or the dignity of the judiciary.

Lawyers and Conveyancers Act (Lawyers: Conduct and Client Care) Rules 2008 · SR 2008/214 · archived copy · official source ↗

9 Conduct of proceedings

Legal Profession (Professional Conduct) Rules 2015 · 2015 · archived copy · official source ↗

A solicitor who on his client's instructions gives a statement to the press must ensure that he does not become in contempt of court by publishing any statement which is calculated to interfere with the fair trial of a case which has not been concluded.

Hong Kong Solicitors' Guide to Professional Conduct (Volume 1) · current · archived copy · official source ↗

When speaking to the media, a practising barrister must be careful not to breach his or her general professional duties (such as to keep the affairs of clients and former clients confidential, and not to bring the administration of justice into disrepute).

Code of Conduct of the Bar of the Hong Kong SAR · 2018 · archived copy · official source ↗