HJB v WPB: Beware the Preliminary Issue – Financial Remedies Journal

‘In BN v MA [2013] EWHC 4250 (Fam) Mostyn J observed:

“[24] … In Granatino v Radmacher the Supreme Court analysed very closely the nature of nuptial agreements. They pointed out that nuptial agreements come in numerous shapes and forms and can be entered into at any point before, during or after a marriage …
[26] The Supreme Court has modified the test for the treatment of these nuptial agreements, as expressed in Edgar and Xydhias and, indeed, in MacLeod, so as to provide one single test applicable to all nuptial agreements, which is this, “The court should give effect to a nuptial agreement that is freely entered into by each party with a full appreciation of its implications unless in the circumstances prevailing it would not be fair to hold the parties to their agreement”. That now is the test to be applied in every case where a nuptial agreement falls for consideration.” ‘

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Financial Remedies Journal, 16th August 2024

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

NCDR Redux: The Impact of October’s CPR Amendments – Financial Remedies Journal

Posted August 19th, 2024 in civil procedure rules, costs, dispute resolution, families, family courts, news by tracey

‘One of the changes to the FPR 2010 made when the material parts of the Family Procedure (Amendment No 2) Rules 2023 came into force on 29 April 2024 was an amendment to r 28.3(7) which by the insertion of a new (aa)(ii) makes “any failure by a party, without good reason, to attend non-court dispute resolution” a basis to depart from the general starting point that there should be no order as to costs. This is repeated in para 10E of PD 3A which states “the court may take the parties conduct in relation to attending non-court dispute resolution into account when considering whether to make an order for costs in relation to the proceedings”.’

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Financial Remedies Journal, 16th August 2024

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

‘It’s not like you were beaten’: The horrifying misogyny vulnerable women face from the judge’s bench – The Independent

‘Domestic abuse survivors warn that – inside the secretive family courts – they are being “retraumatised” by the legal system, and say judges are the worst offenders.’

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The Independent, 16th August 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Why we don’t know what’s going on in family courts – Transparency Project

Posted August 14th, 2024 in anonymity, families, family courts, news, reporting restrictions, statistics by sally

‘We hear a lot about ‘secret’ family courts because of reporting restrictions and family privacy, but there is more to genuine transparency than holding processes out in the open. To understand how a system is operating we need information based on reliable data across that system.’

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Transparency Project, 14th August 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Financial Remedies – Short Marriage – 33 Bedford Row

‘Financial Remedies – Short Marriage.’

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33 Bedford Row, 7th August 2024

Source: www.33bedfordrow.co.uk

Domestic abuse and the Financial Remedies Court – Transparency Project

‘This post discusses the current approach to domestic abuse in financial remedy proceedings. For those short on time and unable to read the post in full, the key conclusions you need to be aware of are; the recent decision of Mr. Justice Peel in N v J [2024] EWFC 184 is important and says if you want the court to consider domestic abuse as part of your case you will need to follow the procedure in Tsvetkov v Khayrova [2023] EWFC 130; it also says that domestic abuse will only potentially be taken into account by the court if it is exceptional and has had a negative financial impact on the alleged victim.’

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Transparency Project, 8th August 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Family Drug and Alcohol Courts generate “significant savings” for local authorities in comparison to standard care proceedings: report – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) could save local authorities almost £10,000 per case in legal costs compared to standard care proceedings, according to a financial analysis carried out by the Centre for Justice Innovation.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th August 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

A View from The President’s Chambers: July 2024 – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted August 1st, 2024 in children, families, family courts, judges, news by tracey

‘A View from The President’s Chambers: July 2024.’

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Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 31st July 2024

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Judge lifts anonymity in family court judgment involving Premier League footballer – Law Society’s Gazette

‘A judge has taken the unusual step of publishing an unanonymised and unredacted family court judgment involving Premier League footballer and England vice-captain Kyle Walker – after concluding that to anonymise or redact the judgment would have opened the court to ridicule.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 31st July 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Family court judge rules on if twins exist – BBC News

‘A High Court judge has ruled that there is “some evidence” that at least one child was born in an exceptional family dispute between a separated couple. The ex-husband told the court that he believed his wife had been pregnant when they split up and that she had given birth to twin boys, who would now be three years old.’

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BBC News, 1st August 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A Paradigm Case for Non-court Dispute Resolution – Becket Chambers

‘The court’s duty to further the overriding objective by actively case managing has been given added impetus by the revisions to FPR Part 3 and Part 28 which came into effect on the 29 April 2024.’

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Becket Chambers, 23rd July 2024

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

Qualified Legal Representatives – the challenges so far – Becket Chambers

‘For cases issued after 21 July 2022, the Court has jurisdiction to appoint a Qualified Legal Representative (“QLR”). In family cases, the necessity for such an appointment usually arises upon application of section 65 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 or amendments to the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 which restricts litigants in person from cross-examining parties or witnesses in certain circumstances.’

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Becket Chambers, 2nd July 2024

Source: becket-chambers.co.uk

The inherent jurisdiction, Article 3 ill-treatment, and the limits of the State’s obligations – Mental Capacity Law and Policy

‘How far can the State be expected to go in seeking to secure the rights of those in challenging situations? A few months after this issue was looked at (albeit slightly curiously) from the perspective of Article 2 ECHR in R (Parkin) v His Majesty’s Assistant Coroner for Inner London (East) [2024] EWHC 744 (Admin), Gywnneth Knowles J has looked at it from the perspective of Article 3 ECHR. In Re P (Vulnerable Adult: Withdrawal of Application) [2024] EWHC 1882 (Fam), she was asked to consider the question of whether she should continue to use the powers of the High Court to compel a 29 year old woman to live apart from her father.’

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Mental Capacity Law and Policy, 28th July 2024

Source: www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk

Two unsuccessful bites at the legal parenthood cherry – really in the child’s best interests? – Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law

‘This case review considers Theis J’s judgment in Re Z (Surrogacy: Step-parent Adoption) [2024] EWFC 20, in which she refused a step-parent adoption order but made several other orders in relation to contact and the exercise of parental responsibility between the three adults involved. I posit that while the judgment probably represents the best possible outcome all round – especially the best interests of the child at its heart – it does not reflect the lived reality of most surrogacy agreements entered into in this country, or the experiences of those involved. It does, however, indicate that proposed reforms as recommended by the Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission in 2023 would be welcome, especially as the intention behind them is precisely to protect against breakdowns in surrogacy arrangements such as sadly happened in this case.’

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Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 23rd July 2024

Source: www.tandfonline.com

UN concern over disciplinary case against UK lawyer for ‘boys’ club’ remarks – The Guardian

‘Four UN special rapporteurs have warned that disciplinary proceedings against a female barrister for saying a judge had shown a “boys’ club attitude” may send “a disconcerting message” to lawyers challenging gender bias in custody and domestic abuse cases.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Local authorities, care orders and consent to confinement – Local Government Lawyer

‘Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) analyses another striking decision from Lieven J.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Thousands of children “fallen victim” to record backlogs in family courts, Law Society President warns – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Law Society President, Nick Emmerson, has called on the next government to protect children “trapped” in a family court crisis due to record backlogs.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd July 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Controversial Suspected Inflicted Head Injuries pilot launched: Lawyers raise concern about lack of consultation and potential unfairness – Transparency Project

‘When a child suffers a head injury which medical professionals suspect may be inflicted, safeguarding processes are triggered, often leading to care proceedings and the removal of the child from the care of their parents, usuall y for many months and sometimes forever.’

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Transparency Project, 27th June 2024

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

High Court allows 15-year-old to change name despite opposition from local authority – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 28th, 2024 in care orders, children, families, family courts, local government, names, news by sally

‘A High Court judge has allowed an application made by a 15 year old girl to change her forename and surname, despite the application being opposed by the girl’s mother and the local authority.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th June 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal finds Family Division judge failed to adhere to “fundamental principle” of justice being seen to be done – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has criticised a judge for her “blatantly unfair conduct”, finding that an interchange with a father demonstrated a “complete failure of proper judicial process”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th June 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk