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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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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.”

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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

The Family Courts: Media Access & Reporting – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted August 1st, 2011 in family courts, media, private hearings, reporting restrictions, reports by tracey

“A joint publication of The President of the Family Division, the Judicial College and the Society of Editors.”

Full report

Judiciary of England and Wales, 29th July 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Bar Chairman – Justice Committee Report Provides More Evidence that Legal Aid Cuts Mean DIY Justice – The Bar Council

Posted July 15th, 2011 in barristers, family courts, legal aid, news by tracey

“The Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales, has welcomed the finding of the Justice Select Committee’s report on the Operation of the Family Courts, published today, which says that legal aid reforms risk an unmanageable rise in DIY justice, as vulnerable people are forced to go to family courts alone as litigants in person.”

Full press release

The Bar Council, 14th July 2011

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

LSC publishes plan for interim family contracts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 11th, 2011 in family courts, legal aid, legal services, news, tenders by sally

“The Legal Services Commission has published a plan for the tender process for new interim family contracts to start in February 2012.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 8th July 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chancery Lane urges government to fund family justice reforms – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 23rd, 2011 in consultations, divorce, family courts, Law Society, legal aid, news by sally

“The Law Society has backed the Family Justice Review’s ‘far-reaching’ proposals for reform, but urged the government not to proceed with the changes unless it can provide the money to implement them properly.”

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Law Society’s Gazette, 23rd June 2011

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Kids to shape future of family justice – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 3rd, 2011 in children, consultations, family courts, press releases by sally

“Children are the most important people in the family justice system and their voice needs to be heard in proposed reforms, a panel set up to review the system said.”

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Ministry of Justice, 3rd June 2011

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Sunday Telegraph journalist criticised by high court judge – The Guardian

Posted May 17th, 2011 in expert witnesses, family courts, law reports, media, news by sally

“A high court judge has criticised a senior Sunday Telegraph journalist over his reporting of a case heard in the family courts last year.”

Full story

The Guardian, 17th May 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk