Court crisis warning as legal aid cuts trigger surge in parents fighting for child custody without lawyer – Daily Telegraph

‘Lawyers warn of ‘huge delays’ in family court cases as number of parents facing prospect of representing themselves jumps 48 per cent’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Baby death couple win children back – Daily Telegraph

‘Father accused of suffocating his baby by rolling on her as they slept can be reunited with her twin after a judge ruled that the baby’s sister should not have been removed by social workers.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th June 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Hines v Lambeth London Borough Council – WLR Daily

Posted June 4th, 2014 in appeals, benefits, carers, children, EC law, families, housing, immigration, law reports by tracey

Hines v Lambeth London Borough Council: [2014] EWCA Civ 660; [2014] WLR (D) 238

‘A person whose right to remain in the United Kingdom had expired and who sought housing assistance under the Housing Act 1996 on the basis of a derivative right of residence as a primary carer of her son, a British citizen, would be entitled to accommodation only if her son would be effectively compelled to leave the United Kingdom if she left.’

WLR Daily, 20th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Afusat Saliu and children ‘deported to Nigeria’ – BBC News

‘A woman who fought to stay in the UK over fears her daughters could face female genital mutilation in Nigeria has been deported, her lawyer has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 4th June 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Re B-S and the Perils of the ‘Balance Sheet’ Approach – Family Law Week

‘Michael Jones, barrister, 15 Winckley Square Chambers, considers the response of local authorities to the requirements imposed by Re B-S and later cases.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 23rd May 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Slovak parents fail to block adoption by gay couple – BBC News

Posted May 27th, 2014 in adoption, families, homosexuality, human rights, news by sally

‘Two Slovakian parents have failed to block the adoption of two of their sons by a same sex couple in Kent.’

Full story

BBC News, 24th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

In re G (A Child) (Custody Rights: Stay of Proceedings) – WLR Daily

In re G (A Child) (Custody Rights: Stay of Proceedings): [2014] EWCA Civ 680; [2014] WLR (D) 220

‘As a matter of the domestic law of England and Wales, it was rare for an order relating to a child to be truly final if “final” meant ruling out further applications to the court. An order settling contact, or residence could subsequently be varied or discharged and new arrangements for the child substituted. That did not mean that the order for residence or contact was not final any more than would the fact that proceedings might be taken to enforce the order. Whether particular proceedings had come to an end was a fact specific question which had to be determined by careful examination of the circumstances in which the order which brought the proceedings to an end was made and its precise terms.’

WLR Daily, 19th May 2014

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Ex-ballerina forces ‘landmark’ ruling in social care, charity says – Daily Telegraph

‘A disabled former ballerina who has been locked in a six-year legal battle with her local council over night-time care has forced a “landmark” ruling which could make social workers consider the “dignity” of the elderly when assessing care provisions, age campaigners have said.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Serial Removal of Children from Young Mothers – is this right? – Family Law Week

‘Maureen N Obi-Ezekpazu, FRSA, Barrister and Mediator, Family Matters, asks what can be done to help the plight of young mothers who have had several children permanently removed.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 18th May 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Finance and Divorce Update – Family Law Week

‘Jessica Craigs, senior solicitor, and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law, both of Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the financial remedies and divorce news and cases published in April.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 17th May 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Judge condemns council for ‘unlawful detention’ of pensioner moved to care home – Daily Telegraph

‘A woman was “unlawfully deprived of her” liberty and her right to family life breached when she was removed from her home by a local council, a judge has ruled.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Daniel Morgan’s family paid £50k over police failings – BBC News

Posted May 15th, 2014 in compensation, corruption, families, murder, news, police, private investigators by tracey

‘The family of a private investigator found murdered outside a London pub is to be paid £50,000 for highlighting the failings of the Met Police.’

Full story

BBC News, 15th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

R (on the application of Fitzroy George) (Respondent) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appellant) – Supreme Court

R (on the application of Fitzroy George) (Respondent) v The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appellant) [2014] UKSC 28 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 14th May 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Immigration judges block foreign killer’s deportation on ‘human rights’ grounds – Daily Telegraph

‘Somali man convicted of manslaughter defeats bid to remove him from Britain, despite being single man with no children.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 12th May 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Family Law Finance Arbitration: a new dawn – Talk by Sir Hugh Bennett

Posted May 12th, 2014 in arbitration, families, news by sally

Family Law Finance Arbitration: a new dawn (Word)

Talk by Sir Hugh Bennett

Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, 30th April 2014

Source: www.flba.co.uk

Terminating a Father’s Parental Responsibility: Preserving the legal status quo – Family Law Week

‘Alex Verdan QC of 4 Paper Buildings and Saoirse Townshend of 36 Bedford Row analyse an important Court of Appeal judgment on termination of PR.’

Full story

Family Law Week, 9th May 2014

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Judicial review to go ahead on impact of ‘bedroom tax’ on separated families – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 6th, 2014 in benefits, families, housing, human rights, news, social security by tracey

‘Human rights campaign group Liberty has been given permission by a High Court judge to bring a judicial review claim over the impact of the Government’s spare-room subsidy or “bedroom tax” on separated families with shared custody of children.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 2nd May 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Family Justice Reforms – Remarks by Sir James Munby

Posted April 30th, 2014 in children, courts, divorce, families, family courts, legal history, news by sally

The Family Justice Reforms (PDF)

Remarks by Sir James Munby

Judiciary of England and Wales, 29th April 2014

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Nigerian woman fearing daughters’ FGM wins reprieve on deportation – The Guardian

‘A woman has won a temporary reprieve in her fight against being deported to her native Nigeria where she says her children face being subjected to female genital mutilation.’

Full story

The Guardian, 25th April 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Derby baby’s death: Court ‘disempowered’ carers of killed baby boy – BBC News

‘A baby boy who suffered head injuries inflicted by his father was refused a protection order by the courts, a serious case review has found.’

Full story

BBC News, 24th April 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk