New courts planned to hear super-wealthy battle over finances – Daily Telegraph

‘Divorce battles among the super wealthy will be heard in separate courts under a plan to make the system more efficient, the head of the family court has announced.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th December 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Financial Remedies Courts should lead to ‘greater predictability’ – Family Law

Posted December 6th, 2017 in courts, divorce, families, financial dispute resolution, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘Legal experts believe new Financial Remedies Courts (FRCs) should provide claimants and respondents with greater predictability, when resolving financial claims on relationship breakdown. Three FRCs will be piloted in London, the West Midlands and South East Wales from February 2018. Judges in FRCs will have a greater level of expertise in financial cases. Partners at Mishcon de Reya and Alexiou Fisher Philipps say this will lead to greater predictability of outcome, which the Law Commission has found is not always the case at present, and that it will free up more time in the overburdened family courts.’

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Family Law, 6th December 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Undercover policeman’s son sues force after discovering his father was an officer ‘left him with depression’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 5th, 2017 in compensation, families, investigatory powers, mental health, news, police by sally

‘A man who says he suffered a depressive illness as a result of discovering his father was an undercover police officer rather than a political activist has won the latest round of a High Court compensation battle with the Metropolitan Police.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th December 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Poppi Worthington inquest: father refuses to answer 69 questions over 13 month-old’s death – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 30th, 2017 in evidence, families, inquests, media, news, police, witnesses by sally

‘The father of Poppi Worthington refused to answer 69 questions relating to her death in case it incriminated him as it emerged he is now under witness protection.’

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Daily Telegraph, 29th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

How can the courts protect children from extremism? – Family Law

Posted November 24th, 2017 in care orders, children, families, guardianship, news, terrorism by sally

‘Complex cases involving the children of families in which there are adults suspected of undertaking activities linked to terrorism or of involvement in radicalisation are facing family judges up and down the country as child protection services grapple to deal with the immediate effects of extremism.’

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Family Law, 23rd November 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Families of 1974 bombings victims turn to crowdfunding after legal aid denied – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 16th, 2017 in costs, families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news by sally

‘A campaign group is seeking funds to pay for a judicial review challenging the terms of reference of an inquest into the deaths of the Birmingham Pub Bombings victims after a request for legal aid was denied. Justice4the21 is asking legal professionals to donate what they can to fund a challenge to a coroner’s decision earlier this year to exclude the issue of who was responsible for the 1974 bombings.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 15th November 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Woman jailed for manslaughter after ‘gross neglect’ of her 91-year-old grandmother – The Independent

Posted November 15th, 2017 in elderly, families, grandparents, homicide, negligence, news by sally

‘A woman has been jailed for three years for the manslaughter of her 91-year-old grandmother, who had been in need of “urgent medical attention”.’

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The Independent, 14th November 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judges reject challenge over adoption and special guardianship for half-brothers – Local Government Lawyer

Posted November 14th, 2017 in adoption, appeals, families, guardianship, news by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has dismissed a case brought against Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council over whether a child should be adopted when his older half-brothers, who lived with the same couple, were to be the subject of a special guardianship order.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 14th November 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

MIAMs: a worthy idea, failing in delivery – Family Law Week

Posted November 2nd, 2017 in arbitration, dispute resolution, divorce, families, financial provision, news by sally

‘Andrew Moore and Sue Brookes, both of Mills and Reeve LLP, consider mediation information assessment meetings, highlighting the flaws in the process and what can be done to improve the current system.’

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Family Law Week, 31st October 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Muslim father ‘ordered’ by judge not to impose Islam on his children – The Independent

Posted November 2nd, 2017 in care orders, children, families, freedom of expression, Islam, news by sally

‘A Muslim father whose three children are being cared for by a Christian foster family was told by a judge he must not “pressure” them about Islam.’

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The Independent, 1st November 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Official review backs ‘Hillsborough law’ proposals – The Guardian

Posted November 2nd, 2017 in bereavement, families, inquests, legal aid, legal representation, news, reports by sally

‘An official review of the Hillsborough families’ 27-year ordeal since the 1989 disaster has recommended that bereaved families must have funding for full legal representation at inquests where public authorities are represented.’

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The Guardian, 1st November 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Brexit and the potential implications on couples and families – Family Law

Posted November 1st, 2017 in brexit, EC law, families, freedom of movement, news by sally

‘Since joining the EU, the free movement of people throughout Europe has led to an increase in international families in the UK, with more marriages involving people of different nationalities and from different cultures than ever before. The large number of international families in the UK could mean social, economic and legal complexities post-Brexit, with studies already showing that Brexit is causing friction within families.’

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Family Law, 1st November 2017

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Paralysed woman’s life-sustaining treatment ‘can end’, judge rules – BBC News

Posted October 31st, 2017 in euthanasia, families, health, medical treatment, news by sally

‘A paralysed elderly woman whose care became the focus of a family dispute can have her life-sustaining treatment discontinued, a judge has ruled.’

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BBC News, 30th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child support legal loophole is closed – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2017 in child support, families, government departments, legislation, news by sally

‘Parents will no longer be able to use a legal loophole to dodge paying child maintenance under new rules to be rolled out within months.’

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The Guardian, 29th October 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Covert Recording : A hot potato lob by the Court of Appeal – Transparency Project

Posted October 26th, 2017 in children, evidence, families, family courts, news, social services by sally

‘The Court of Appeal delivered judgment in Re B (A Child) [2017] EWCA Civ 1579 last week. In it they consider (but do not resolve) the question of how the Family Court should deal with evidence obtained by covert recording. Whilst it took the Court of Appeal almost a year from the hearing of the appeal to the delivery of judgment (see our post about the appeal hearing itself here), this particular potato remains red hot. The topic of recording – covertly or overtly, of social workers or children or otherwise – is discussed daily on private groups on Facebook, openly on other social media platforms – and, from time to time, in judgments of the Family Court and by lawyers.’

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Transparency Project, 24th October 2017

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Government appeals against High Court ruling that benefit cap ’causes misery to no good purpose’ – Independent

Posted October 25th, 2017 in appeals, benefits, families, news by michael

‘The Government has launched an appeal against a ruling that its controversial benefits cap unlawfully discriminates against lone parents with children under two.’

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Independent, 24th October 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Birmingham pub bombings: Families to challenge inquest ruling – BBC News

Posted October 23rd, 2017 in appeals, explosives, families, inquests, news, victims by sally

‘Families of victims of the Birmingham pub bombings have been granted permission to challenge a coroner who ruled out naming alleged suspects during inquests into the tragedy.’

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BBC News, 20th October 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hundreds of families block organ donation – BBC News

Posted October 20th, 2017 in consent, families, human tissue, news by sally

‘Organs from 505 registered donors could not be made available for transplant in the last five years because of objections from relatives.’

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BBC News, 19th October 2016

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Known Sperm Donor and Co-parenting Arrangements – a cautionary tale – Family Law Week

Posted October 19th, 2017 in agreements, assisted reproduction, children, families, news, parental rights by sally

‘Rose-Marie Drury, Senior Associate with Mills & Reeve LLP, considers the legal issues for parties involved in such arrangements.’

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Family Law Week, 18th October 2017

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

‘Clumsy’ lawyers risk appeals after judge clarifies family court powers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 17th, 2017 in appeals, consent orders, families, news by sally

‘A broad interpretation of the family court’s powers risks creating a surge in appeals if “clumsy” lawyers delve into areas beyond their specialism, solicitors fear.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th October 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk