Family judges alarmed over legal aid tender – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 10th, 2010 in family courts, judiciary, legal aid, legal services, news, tenders by sally

“The head of the family courts has warned the Legal Services Commission that he has been ‘inundated’ by family judges expressing serious concerns over the outcome of the family legal aid tender, in a letter seen by the Gazette.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 9th August 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Children left in danger by court delays – The Guardian

Posted August 9th, 2010 in child abuse, children, family courts, news, social services by sally

“Children are being damaged by unprecedented delays in the family courts in England and Wales, where judges can now take up to 65 weeks to decide whether it is safe for them to remain with their parents, Britain’s largest children’s charity says today.”

Full story

The Guardian, 9th August 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Call for ‘urgent action’ on children’s services – Law Society’s Gazette

“A group of 18 legal, medical and child care organisations has called for urgent action to reform the delivery of court services to children in family proceedings.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 5th August 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Family court service criticised over increased demand – BBC News

Posted July 28th, 2010 in children, family courts, news by sally

“The agency which looks after children’s interests in court has not dealt efficiently with an increase in cases since the death of Baby Peter in 2007, an audit finds.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th July 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lord chief justice calls for shorter cases – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 22nd, 2010 in criminal procedure, family courts, judiciary, news, trials by sally

“The lord chief justice has called for family and criminal cases to be shortened.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 22nd July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Practice guidance – Mckenzie Friends: Civil and Family Courts – Judiciary of England and Wales

Posted July 13th, 2010 in family courts, McKenzie friends, news by sally

“This Guidance applies to civil and family proceedings in the Court of Appeal (Civil Division), the High Court of Justice, the County Courts and the Family Proceedings Court in the Magistrates’ Courts.”

Full press release

Judiciary of England and Wales, 12th July 2010

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Munby calls for more openness in family courts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 6th, 2010 in family courts, judges, lectures, news by sally

“Legislation intended to open up the family courts is a ‘lost opportunity’ that will fail to bring about the openness needed to improve confidence in family proceedings, a leading judge has said.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 6th July 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Cuts on the agenda of family justice review – Ministry of Justice

Posted July 1st, 2010 in children, family courts, Ministry of Justice, news by sally

“The Ministry of Justice has launched a ‘comprehensive review’ of the family justice system, appointing a panel of experts to hear evidence on how the system can improve. However, the panel chair has admitted a principal catalyst for the review is the government’s desire to make spending cuts.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 1st July 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Family justice – your views on its future – Ministry of Justice

“Views on how the family justice system can do its best to protect children and help families to work through their disagreements are being sought by a panel of experts.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 30th June 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Family court body review ‘needed’ – BBC News

Posted June 28th, 2010 in children, family courts, news by sally

“The body that looks after the interests of children involved in family court proceedings in England is lurching from ‘crisis to crisis’, a union says.”

Full story

BBC News, 28th June 2010

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sir Mark Potter: children in danger due to court service crisis – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2010 in children, family courts, legal aid, news by sally

“Children are being put in danger because the family court service is facing an ‘acute situation of crisis’, according to Sir Mark Potter, the former president of the family division and head of family justice for England and Wales.”

Full story

The Guardian, 6th June 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk10

Legal first as girl, 5, consulted in ‘tug-of-love’ court case – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 16th, 2010 in child abduction, children, custody, divorce, family courts, news by sally

“A five-year-old girl involved in a ‘tug-of-love’ case has made legal history after being consulted by a court about which parent she wants to live with.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 16th April 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Media reporting bill ‘threat’ to vulnerable children – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 15th, 2010 in bills, children, family courts, law reports, media, news by sally

“Measures rushed through parliament at the ‘eleventh hour’ to allow greater media reporting of the family courts will put vulnerable children at risk, lawyers have warned.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 15th April 2010

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Children, Schools and Families Act 2010

Posted April 9th, 2010 in children, family courts, legislation, school children by sally

Children, Schools and Families Act 2010 published

Full text of Act (PDF)

Source: www.opsi.gov.uk

Child protection court fees scrapped – The Guardian

Posted March 16th, 2010 in family courts, fees, news, reports by sally

“The government has pledged to scrap family court fees after an official review found evidence that the high cost was deterring some social service departments from applying to take abused and neglected children into care.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th March 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Greater media scrutiny necessary to increase accountability in family courts – Ministry of Justice

“Legislative proposals included in the Children, Schools and Families Bill should encourage media attendance at family court cases, the Ministry of Justice said today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 21st January 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Fundamental review of the family justice system announced – Ministry of Justice

“An expert panel will examine reform of the current family justice system in England and Wales so that it better supports children and parents under a wide-ranging review announced by the Ministry of Justice today.”

Full press release

Ministry of Justice, 20th January 2010

Source: www.justice.gov.uk

Judiciary must speak out on ‘parlous state of family law’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 17th, 2009 in children, family courts, judiciary, news by sally

“The judiciary must ‘come off the bench’ and speak out about the ‘parlous state of family law in 2009’, lord justice Wall has said.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 17th December 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Lawyers attack government plans to extend family reporting – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted December 10th, 2009 in family courts, media, news by sally

“Family lawyers have attacked government plans to extend the media’s right to report family cases, warning that they will clog the courts with preliminary hearings and lead to miscarriages of justice.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 10th December 2009

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Children and family court service facing ‘strain’ – BBC News

Posted November 25th, 2009 in children, family courts, news by sally

“The body protecting children in family courts is going through unprecedented strain, a union has warned.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th November 2009

Source: www.bbc.co.uk