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local branch As long as you're not the defendant, courts can be fascinating.

I do like being in a courtroom, they're great places to report from.

This is Emma Yeomans, a Times news reporter, sitting in court for a little reason to be honest, other than nosiness.

This courtroom is the Special Immigration Appeals Commission.

In my opinion, it's a fascinating court.

And one which would deliver a gobsmacking scoop.

It deals with cases that are both immigration, asylum, citizenship related, but also have a national security component.

This means it has the power to hold hearings in both open court, which is what we attend, and closed court where

at times not even the people who are subject to the proceedings can attend.

It's just national security, witnesses, judges, and special advocates.

It's a really interesting court

and they hear a wide range of quite fascinating cases.

And can ask a basic question, when you say court,

is it, as I imagine in my mind, is there, you know, is it wood-paneled?

Is there a judge sitting there upon high? Are there sort of, you know, barristers for either side?

Siyak, as we tend to call it, because it's a mouthful otherwise, is one of the immigration tribunals,

so it's in the immigration tribunals building, which is not the most beautiful of buildings.

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