Financial consent orders can now be filed online – Family Law

‘On Monday 6 August 2018 the family courts will take another step towards becoming digital. From that date applications for consent orders in family court financial proceedings can be filed online rather than delivery to a physical court office. For many law firms increasingly geared towards the digital rather than the paper, this is yet further welcome progress.’

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Family Law, 30th July 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

A tribute to Sir James Munby – the people’s president – Family Law

Posted July 30th, 2018 in family courts, judges, news by sally

‘Sir James Munby retires as President of the Family Division having had an undeniable impact on family justice reform. Stepping into the role at a time of unprecedented change, Sir James has not shied away from the difficulties of the role, often under the harsh spotlight of media attention.’

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Family Law, 27th July 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Access to justice in family courts ‘inadequate’, says outgoing head – The Guardian

Posted July 30th, 2018 in budgets, family courts, legal aid, litigants in person, news by sally

‘The outgoing head of the family courts in England and Wales has raised concerns about access to family courts and said help for litigants who had to represent themselves due to cuts to legal aid was “woefully inadequate”.’

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The Guardian, 27th July 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Speech by Sir James Munby, President of the Family Division: Because it is the right thing to do – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted July 25th, 2018 in children, cross-examination, family courts, speeches, witnesses by tracey

‘Speech by Sir James Munby, President of the Family Division: Because it is the right thing to do.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 24th July 2018

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Applying to commit for breach of a child arrangements order – Family Law

‘Family analysis: Sarah Keily, partner at Thomson Snell & Passmore in Tunbridge Wells, discusses the decision in CH v CT [2018] EWHC 1310 (Fam), [2018] All ER (D) 03 (Jul), which illustrates the need to strictly comply with the relevant procedural requirements when seeking a committal order following a breach of a child arrangements order.’

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Family Law, 19th July 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Are ‘Thousands misusing abuse orders to get legal aid?’ – Transparency Project

‘Twitter commentators asked questions last week of a BBC headline:

Thousands misusing abuse orders to get legal aid, says parenting charity

And the ‘click-bait’ opening sentence of the story itself:

Families Need Fathers says parents are being encouraged by some solicitors to file for non-molestation orders – injunctions used in urgent abuse cases.’

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Transparency Project, 9th July 2018

Source: www.transparencyproject.org.uk

Enforcement and the powers of the family court: VS v RE [2018] EWFC 30 – Family Law Week

‘Michael Horton, barrister at Coram Chambers explains the jurisdiction of the family court in relation to enforcement proceedings and highlights considerations which impact on the drafting of recitals to consent orders.’

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Family Law Week, 4th July 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Speech by Lord Justice McFarlane: Families Need Fathers Conference 2018 – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted June 27th, 2018 in domestic violence, families, family courts, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Lord Justice McFarlane: Families Need Fathers Conference 2018.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 25th June 2018

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Fathers let down by courts which have ‘fallen short’, says new head of family division – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 26th, 2018 in families, family courts, judges, news, parental rights, speeches by sally

‘Fathers are being cut off from their children because the courts have “fallen short”, the incoming head of the family court has said.’

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Daily Telegraph, 25th June 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

FDAC unit closure threatens future of problem-solving courts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 22nd, 2018 in alcohol abuse, courts, drug abuse, families, family courts, local government, news by tracey

‘Days after it emerged that a national board set up to improve the performance of the family justice system and chaired by government ministers had not met for 17 months, a national unit set up only three years ago to support a pioneering problem-solving court service for families is shutting down due to lack of government support.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 21st June 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Care Crisis Review publishes report setting out options for change – Family Law

Posted June 18th, 2018 in children, family courts, news, reports, social services by sally

‘The Care Crisis Review, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and facilitated by the Family Rights Group, has published its report. The report considers how to address the crisis in children’s social care and the family justice sector, and explores the factors which have contributed to it.’

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Family Law, 13th June 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Varying your child maintenance: it can pay dividends! – Family Law Week

Posted June 15th, 2018 in children, costs, family courts, financial provision, legal aid, news by tracey

‘Using a fictitious scenario Gwyn Evans, barrister, Tanfield Chambers highlights legal and practical issues relating to child maintenance.’

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Family Law Week, 14th June 2018

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Speech by Lord Justice McFarlane: Care Crisis Review Launch – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted June 14th, 2018 in care orders, family courts, judges, reports, speeches by tracey

‘Speech by Lord Justice McFarlane: Care Crisis Review Launch.’

Full speech

Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 13th June 2018

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Legal system of child protection is in crisis, says senior judge – The Guardian

Posted June 13th, 2018 in care orders, child neglect, family courts, news, social services by sally

‘The family justice system is in crisis, fuelled by an “untenable” workload created by a glut of applications to take vulnerable children into care, the senior judge about to become the next head of the family courts has said.’

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The Guardian, 13th June 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Limits on transparency in the family courts – Family Law

Posted June 12th, 2018 in disclosure, family courts, injunctions, media, news by sally

‘Family analysis: Following a judge’s decision in 2002 that a girl who was then two years old should live with her father and that the mother should not have direct access, the Family Division in Re G (A Child) [2018] EWHC 1301 (Fam), [2018] All ER (D) 148 (May) refused a recent application by the girl’s older half-brother for access to all the files in the 2002 proceedings, and also refused the mother’s application for the removal of the undertaking she had given the judge not to communicate with the media. Adam Wolanski, barrister, of 5RB, examines the issues.’

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Family Law, 11th June 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Practice Guidance: Standard children and other orders – Family Law

Posted June 8th, 2018 in children, drafting, electronic filing, family courts, news by sally

‘On 30 November 2017 I issued ‘Practice Guidance: Standard financial and enforcement orders’ [2018] Fam Law 89 [1]. These orders, which are available in both hard and soft formats, as well as being generatable by commercial software, have been very well received. Indeed, I have learned that they are being considered for adoption, in suitably modified form, in Hong Kong. I have no doubt that those orders are achieving the objective I identified, namely to promote national consistency, and to avoid for the future, so far as possible, ambiguities in the meaning of the wording of an order.’

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Family Law, 7th June 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Speech by President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby: What is family law? – Securing social justice for children and young people – Courts & Tribunals Judiciary

Posted June 5th, 2018 in children, civil justice, families, family courts, speeches, young persons by tracey

‘Speech by President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby: What is family law? – Securing social justice for children and young people.’

Full speech

Courts & Tribunals Judiciary, 31st May 2018

Source: www.judiciary.uk

Mother denied chance to take her case to ‘court of public opinion’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted May 31st, 2018 in care orders, families, family courts, injunctions, media, news by sally

‘Family Division president Sir James Munby, who has long argued for allowing the ‘glare of publicity’ in to family courts, says some cases should not be debated under the public gaze, as he denied a mother the chance to take her case to the ‘court of public opinion’.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 31st May 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Courts Service to use lessons of online divorce pilot to develop digital family law service – Legal Futures

Posted May 21st, 2018 in divorce, electronic filing, family courts, news, pilot schemes by sally

‘The Courts Service has laid out how it will develop its new online divorce facility, starting with enabling lawyers to submit petitions on behalf of clients.’

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Legal Futures, 21st May 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Brexit implications for family law analysed in panel discussion at European Parliament – Family Law

Posted May 21st, 2018 in brexit, divorce, EC law, families, family courts, foreign jurisdictions, news by sally

‘Four family law experts took part in a panel discussion at the European Parliament yesterday to discuss the implications for family law of the UK leaving the EU.’

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Family Law, 18th May 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk