Proposals to extend the right of court reporters to access legal representatives’ arguments has won the backing of the News Media Association.

Responding to a consultation paper on press access to skeleton arguments in the Court of Appeal, the NMA said it would “strongly support” an extension of the rules.

The association added that its members also advocated access to claims forms, particulars of claim and notices of appeal, notes of parties’ names and geographic location, copies of judgments under appeal and witness statements.

Its submission also suggested improvement to the methods of distribution proposed, to ensure that all media reporters could be sure of actually obtaining copies of skeleton arguments before, during and after the proceedings to assist accurate contemporaneous reporting, analysis and understanding.

Santha Rasaiah, NMA legal, policy and regulatory affairs director, said: “The NMA and its members have a particular interest in open justice. The press enables translation of the principle of open justice into actual practice, by acting as the public’s representative in court and disseminating reports of the proceedings to a wider public.

“Its contemporaneous reports of legal proceedings and background analysis of the issues raised by individual cases aid public understanding of the law and the work of the courts.

“The NMA and its members have long advocated greater access to court documentation in order to facilitate accurate and informed court reporting.

“Reporters need access to the documents to follow and understand fully the proceedings and facilitate publication of coherent, fair and accurate contemporaneous reports. Access to documents also facilitate media analysis and deeper understanding of the context, facts and legal principles upon which a judgment is based in an individual case and the operation of the law in general.”