A Little Local Practice

“Local Practice” used to be a term issued with a sneer by London counsel, lording it about how parochial sticks-based courts were (in truth I may be guilty of muttering it under my breath myself occasionally when I appear in an unfamiliar court that appears to have had an article 6 bypass). However, Local Practice [...]

Family Justice Modernisation Programme Update No. Nine and Three Quarters

This press release just in from Mr Justice Schrodinger, Family Justice Modernisator: Family Justice Modernisation Programme Update No 9 3/4  I am pleased to announce that, in furtherance of the prime objective of efficiency and pace, all care cases issued after 1 January 2013 will be cascaded through the new algorithmic family justice hyper-rationalisation drive, [...]

As one door closes another opens

You might have presumed I would have done my consultation response on shared parenting ages ago. But that starting point would have been the wrong starting point. Had you taken all the circumstances into account it was not safe to assume that I would do so, because although it was likely I would have had [...]

Judgment without opinion

Legal Cheek reports today on how Judges [are] Threatened With Disciplinary Action For Blogging About Their Day Job – Even If They Do So Anonymously. You can read the original story on Trevor Coultart’s blog, himself a Magistrate. The Magistrate behind the well known The Magistrate’s Blog has yet to formulate a plan, although there [...]

Scandalous!

Who knew? “Scandalising the court” whatever that may be, may be no longer. The Law Commission are consulting about it (here). The consultation document, which I’ve scanned tonight, is really interesting reading (not quite interesting enough for me to finish it on a Friday night mind you), but my instinctive reaction is that the judiciary / [...]

Family Justice Narratives : No. 6

This is the sixth of the Family Justice Narratives. You can find out what the Family Justice Narratives are all about and how to get involved here. This narrative is in the format of an email addressed to me, and comes from Brian, a social worker. NARRATIVE NO 5 : SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE Familoo, Started reading [...]

The Pathwaye of the Errant Knight Ryder

Oh. Just ignore the title. It’s silly. But on second thoughts…Let’s run with it. The Pathwaye of the Errant Knight Ryder – An Epic Pome After many arduous stanzas depicting adventures across faerieland our brave virtuous hero Sir Ryder thunders up the pathway on his stallion Tonto, brings him to a dusty snorting halt, unfurls [...]

Right of Access to Court File

I was asked an intriguing question the other day. One of those which at first blush seems as if it must have a straightforward answer, but on further enquiry proves tricky. And I’m not one that can rest whilst a good question is left unanswered. So…I might as well share the fruits of my labour. [...]

Wells Street under threat

Just as news arrives of a new FDAC (that’s Family Drug and Alcohol Court to the uninitiated) in Gloucester so we hear less welcome news of the planned closure of Wells Street. The Inner London FPC at Wells Street does not hold many fond memories for me – it was where I first found my [...]

As One Door Closes…

As the consultation on same sex marriage closes another opens : shared parenting. We just can’t agree about anything to do with the shape of families, can we? Thankfully, @suesspiciousmin has been swift in summarising the consultation on shared parenting in his post (Co-op (Good with Kids) on the Suesspicious Minds blog - say it in a [...]