Judicial Communication and Media Reporting on Court Decisions: Empirical Insights from Czechia

iCourts lunch seminar with Jan Novotny, Charles University, Czech Republic.

This presentation introduces ongoing research on the relationship between courts and the media, focusing on the persistent problem of inaccurate reporting on judicial decisions. Such inaccuracies may distort public understanding of court decisions and thus undermine public trust in the judiciary. However, the interaction between judges and journalists remains largely unexplored. Drawing on empirical evidence gathered from both sides of this relationship - judges and journalists - the research seeks to understand why this problem persists and whether it can be mitigated through more open and proactive judicial communication.

The research consists of two parts. The first is a questionnaire survey among judges of Czech ordinary courts. The survey investigates their attitudes toward direct communication with the media and identifies factors that influence their willingness to engage in it, including previous negative experiences with media inaccuracies. The second part is based on semi-structured interviews with Czech journalists who report on court decisions. It explores their professional backgrounds, reporting practices, and the challenges they face, especially those caused by limited communication from courts. In the seminar, I will present the preliminary findings and discuss their implications for judicial communication strategies and practices.

Bio

Jan Novotný is a PhD candidate at the Department of Political Science and Sociology, Faculty of Law, Charles University in Prague. 

In his project, he focuses on the relationship between courts and the media, with particular attention to open judicial communication. His current research is divided into two parts. First, a questionnaire survey among judges of Czech ordinary courts examining their direct communication with the media. Second, in-depth interviews with journalists who regularly report on judicial issues, exploring their working methods and interactions with courts.

At Charles University, he teaches political science, professional ethics for lawyers, and specialised skills courses for master’s students.

Jan is visiting iCourts 1-31 May 2026.