The Revised Public Law Outline …. and this time they mean it – Family Law Week

“Andrew Pack, care lawyer with Brighton & Hove City Council, explains and comments on the changes made by the recently published Revised Public Law Outline.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 4th June 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Vince v Wyatt: the FPR 2010 strikes back? – Family Law Week

Posted May 30th, 2013 in appeals, civil procedure rules, family courts, news, striking out by sally

“Sian Cox, barrister, Harcourt Chambers analyses the court’s power to strike out in family proceedings and considers in the light of the Court of Appeal judgment in Vince v Wyatt, the circumstances in which such applications may succeed.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 29th May 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Psych versus Psych: A Diagnostic Dispute and the Implications for Expert Witnesses in Family Proceedings – Family Law Week

Posted May 29th, 2013 in evidence, expert witnesses, family courts, mental health, news by sally

“William Tautz, barrister of Tooks Chambers, examines the fundamental challenge to psychiatric diagnosis recently announced by the British Psychological Association and explores its implications for the instruction and cross-examination of expert witnesses in a post-streamlined PLO world.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 23rd May 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Maintenance Pending Suit Revisited – Family Law Week

Posted May 28th, 2013 in family courts, financial provision, news by sally

“Alexander Chandler of 1 King’s Bench Walk, Temple, London revisits and updates an article originally published in February 2010 in light of changes brought about by the Family Procedure Rules 2010.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 24th May 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Stopping poor quality and time-wasting expert evidence in family courts – Ministry of Justice

Posted May 16th, 2013 in consultations, delay, expert witnesses, family courts, fees, news, standards by sally

“New national standards to raise the quality of experts used in family courts and get rid of time-consuming evidence which adds little value in helping judges reach a decision were announced by the Government today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Standards for expert witnesses in the family courts in England and Wales – Ministry of Justice

“This is a consultation on minimum standards for expert witnesses providing evidence in the family courts in proceedings relating to children in England and Wales.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 16th May 2013

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Ministers seek to cut £50m legal aid bill for expert witnesses in family courts – The Guardian

Posted May 16th, 2013 in consultations, evidence, expert witnesses, family courts, fees, legal aid, news by sally

“Too many expert witnesses are being paid to give evidence of little value in family courts, according to the Ministry of Justice which is proposing a fresh round of cuts to legal aid.”

Full story

The Guardian, 16th May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Family law: a “time-consuming and morally shadowy activity”? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted May 14th, 2013 in family courts, legal profession, news by sally

“Recently an article in the Guardian described family law as a ‘time-consuming and morally shadowy activity’ and suggested that family lawyers ‘sleep in a bed that has been paid for by the unhappiness of others’. This was an article on ‘gold diggers’, a group hardly representative of the general population. But if ever a profession needed good PR, it’s family lawyers. The legal profession as a whole gets a pretty bad press, making it a fairly easy task for the government to promote other methods of obtaining legal advice and dispute resolution, as if entering the office of a lawyer who works with individual clients is something to be avoided, an easy way to empty your wallet with no obvious benefits.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 14th May 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Finance and Divorce May 2013 update – Family Law Week

“Anna Heenan, solicitor and David Salter, Joint Head of Family Law at Mills & Reeve LLP analyse the April financial remedies and divorce news and cases.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 12th May 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Family court ‘delays’ on care decisions cut – BBC News

Posted May 7th, 2013 in delay, family courts, news, reports, time limits by sally

“The time it takes for the family courts to make decisions about whether children should be taken in to care or adopted has been cut.”

Full story

BBC News, 4th May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Annual Report of the Office of the Head of International Family Justice for England and Wales: 2012 – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted May 3rd, 2013 in children, families, family courts, international law, reports, treaties by tracey

“Annual Report of the Office of the Head of International Family Justice for England and Wales: 2012.”

Full report

Judiciary of England and Wales, 1st May 2013

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Court of Protection openness call by justice secretary – BBC News

Posted May 2nd, 2013 in Court of Protection, family courts, news, private hearings by sally

“The justice secretary has asked a senior judge to consider whether the court dealing with the affairs of mentally incapable people in England and Wales can become more open.”

Full story

BBC News, 2nd May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Overseas child abductions on the rise – The Guardian

“Cross-border legal disputes involving child abduction and custody rows have more than doubled in the past two years, according to the judicial office specialising in international family cases.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Family Justice Modernisation Programme – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted April 19th, 2013 in courts, family courts, press releases by tracey

“The President of the Family Division has issued this update on the process of reform.”

Full press release

Judiciary of England and Wales, 15th April 2013

Sorce: www.judiciary.gov.uk

“Bring it back” – Courts and care plans that are not working – Family Law Week

Posted April 11th, 2013 in care orders, family courts, human rights, local government, news by sally

“Andrew Pack, care lawyer with Brighton & Hove City Council, examines the routes available to a local authority to return a case to court if the care plan goes awry.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 10th April 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Expert witness ruling a blow to children, Society warns – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 10th, 2013 in children, costs, expert witnesses, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“Children involved in family law cases will face extra uncertainty following a High Court ruling on the funding of expert witnesses, the Law Society has warned.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 10th April 2013

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Absolutely Transparent – Pink Tape

Posted April 2nd, 2013 in adoption, costs, family courts, media, news, reporting restrictions by sally

“Transparency in family justice is an issue that cannot be swept under the carpet.”

Full story

Pink Tape, 29th March 2013

Source: www.pinktape.co.uk

Human Rights and Family Law Spring Update – Family Law Week

“Deirdre Fottrell, barrister of Coram Chambers, reviews recent cases involving human rights issues which are of significance to family lawyers.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 22nd March 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

“Can’t We Make the Local Authority Pay for It?” – Family Law Week

“Andrew Pack, care lawyer with Brighton & Hove City Council, considers the court’s powers to compel a local authority to meet the costs of a particular action.”

Full story

Family Law Week, 2nd March 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Open up family court hearings, says senior judge – Daily Telegraph

“A senior judge has made an important ruling in favour of transparency in the family courts.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd March 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk