family courts – Page 55 – Current Awareness

Family reform judge calls for culture change – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 17th, 2012 in family courts, judges, news, reports by sally

“A ‘strong consensus’ and a ‘commitment to a change in culture’ is needed to improve the efficiency of the family justice system, according to the senior judge charged with reform. In his first published update since being appointed to lead the modernisation of family justice, Mr Justice Ryder sets out a ‘challenging timetable’ to agree proposals on a programme to put in place the recommendations of the Norgrove review by the time his appointment ends at the end of July.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th January 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Family lawyers warn of the devastating impact of legal aid changes – Family Law Week

Posted January 9th, 2012 in budgets, family courts, legal aid, news by tracey

“In advance of the House of Lords’ scrutiny of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill which resumes this week, Resolution has warned of its potentially devastating consequences.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 9th January 2012

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Family Arbitration: An Introduction – Family Law Week

Posted December 14th, 2011 in arbitration, family courts, news by sally

“In his keynote address, delivered at a reception hosted by Collaborative Family Law last week, Lord Wilson of Culworth referred to the advent of an arbitration scheme to determine family disputes. This article offers an explanation as to how that scheme, which will be launched in February 2012, will work.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 5th December 2011

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

The legal aid bill must be cut. Here’s how – The Guardian

Posted December 14th, 2011 in bills, budgets, citizens advice bureaux, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“Legal aid became bloated and inefficient. What’s needed is a better network of law centres and Citizens Advice Bureaux.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th December 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The value of justice – LAG News Blog

Posted December 7th, 2011 in alcohol abuse, budgets, drug offences, family courts, news by sally

“District Judge Nicholas Crichton takes exception to the recently announced £41m increase in the cost of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics. It is difficult not to agree with him, however much you might be looking forward to next year’s festivities, especially when vital services such as the Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC), which he leads, have a financial question mark hanging over their future.”

Full story

LAG News Blog, 7th December 2011

Source: www.legalactiongroupnews.blogspot.com

In re A (Children) (Judgment: Adequacy of Trial Judge’s Reasoning) – WLR Daily

Posted December 5th, 2011 in family courts, judgments, law reports, news, reasons by sally

In re A (Children) (Judgment: Adequacy of Trial Judge’s Reasoning) [2011] EWCA Civ 1205; [2011] WLR (D) 346

“The Court of Appeal gave guidance as to the practice to be adopted where there was concern about the adequacy of a trial judge’s reasoning, when adjourning, part heard, an appeal by the mother of two children, A and L, against the decision of Judge Compston, sitting as a judge of the Family Division on 27 May 2011, as to the adequacy of his judgment on a fact finding hearing in ongoing care proceedings relating to the children, and inviting the judge to provide such further reasons on particular matters as he might think appropriate by way of elucidation, clarification, elaboration or otherwise of his judgment.”

WLR Daily, 27th October 2011

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Family judges must take bigger role to curb court battlegrounds – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 1st, 2011 in case management, children, family courts, judges, legal aid, news, speeches by sally

“Judges should take a more active role in family cases to stop them becoming ‘battlegrounds’ for warring parents who use children as ‘ammunition’, one of the country’s most senior judges said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Changing the culture – Speech by Sir Nicholas Wall, President of the Family Division

Posted November 30th, 2011 in budgets, family courts, judges, legal aid, speeches by sally

Changing the culture (PDF)

Speech by Sir Nicholas Wall, President of the Family Division

The Law Reform Committee of the Bar Council, 29th November 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Legal aid reform prompts further protest from top judges – The Guardian

Posted November 30th, 2011 in budgets, family courts, judges, legal aid, news by sally

“Two more senior judges have publicly joined the chorus of those urging the government to rethink proposals to restrict legal aid, branding the plans a false economy and impediment to swift justice.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Carry on with the cuts and good divorce reforms will fail – The Guardian

Posted November 8th, 2011 in bills, divorce, families, family courts, legal aid, news, reports by sally

“If passed in its present form, the legal aid bill will compound the agonies of warring families.”

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The Guardian, 6th November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Guarded welcome for family justice review – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 4th, 2011 in delay, families, family courts, news, time limits by tracey

“Lawyers and judges have welcomed proposals to end the ‘culture of delay’ in the family justice system, published in the Family Justice Review’s final report.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd November 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Family Justice Review proposals to end delays in family courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted November 4th, 2011 in delay, family courts, news by tracey

“The Family Justice Review panel today announce a package of recommendations aimed at tackling delays in the family justice system and to make sure that children and families are given the service they deserve.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 3rd November 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Bar Responds to Family Justice Review – The Bar Council

Posted November 4th, 2011 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, press releases by tracey

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, and the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA), which represents family barristers, have welcomed the key proposals of the Family Justice Review, contained in the final report published today. They have, however, voiced concerns about its ambitious vision of the future of family justice in the face of drastic proposed cuts to family legal aid.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 3rd November 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Family justice review calls for six-month case deadline – BBC News

Posted November 3rd, 2011 in adoption, family courts, news, reports, time limits by sally

“Childcare decisions in family courts should be made within six months, an official review has said.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd November 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Divorced fathers will not get legal right to access – The Guardian

Posted November 3rd, 2011 in adoption, divorce, family courts, news, parental rights, reports by sally

“Fathers who have gone through divorce or separation will not be granted a legal right to guarantee that their child has “a meaningful relationship with both parents”, according to a long-awaited report on family law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd October 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

A Manifesto for Family Justice – Alliance of Interest Groups Calls on Government to Change Plans – The Bar Council

Posted October 28th, 2011 in families, family courts, legal aid, press releases, victims by tracey

“An alliance of organisations which represents the rights and needs of women, children, families and victims of domestic abuse and/or are engaged in the administration of family justice, has published a Manifesto for Family Justice, ahead of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Bill moving into Report Stage in the House of Commons.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 24th October 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Family justice manifesto calls for rethink on cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 24th, 2011 in budgets, families, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“An alliance of groups opposed to the government’s family legal aid cuts has published a Manifesto for Family Justice, urging MPs to reconsider the proposals.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 24th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Litigants in person numbers soar – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted October 13th, 2011 in family courts, litigants in person, news by tracey

“The dire state of the economy has already led to a dramatic increase in the number of litigants in person, new figures from a voluntary organisation suggest. This is before government cuts to civil legal aid come into effect, which many solicitors predict will trigger another huge rise.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 13th October 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Experts in family cases – judicial guidance – Legal Aid Handbook Blog

Posted September 16th, 2011 in expert witnesses, family courts, fees, news by tracey

“As the countdown to 3rd October continues, concern is growing among practitioners not only about their own fees but about the position regarding experts. There are very real worries that experts will simply be unwilling to work for the new prescribed rates.”

Full story

Legal Aid Handbook Blog, 16th September 2011

Source: www: http://legalaidhandbook.com