Super Supreme – Slicing the Pizza

The Guardian today reports that the Supreme Court would have to close if it were to face a 40% cut in spending. The Chief Executive said yesterday on the first anniversary of the court: ‘As 62% of our costs are genuinely fixed, a 40% cut causes us some problems. We couldn’t actually deal with any [...]

Family Courts in the dock

Hat Tip to John Bolch at Family Lore for this story on a class action against ‘The Family Courts’ in the Hague. How – urm…audacious. I hope there is more substance to this suit than is apparent from either the company organising the action or this Telegraph article, from which one might form the impression that it [...]

Potter Mouth

Mark Potter, recently departed former President of the Family Division has spoken out at his concern about the strains on the system, saying that children are in danger as a result. The Guardian reports his first interview since leaving office.

Contact Activities – the big giveaway!

Contact Activity Directions – remember them? Yes, the little used Contact Activity provisions have received a bit of a boost as of 1 April: they are now provided free of charge to any parent ordered to attend such an activity. . Previously, you will recall (or perhaps not): parents who were eligible for public funding [...]

Splitting Headache

To split or not to split? That is the eternal question, answered here by new Prez in new guidance. In short: split only when it serves a purpose. And don’t forget split listing (or not) is a judicial decision. Lord Justice Wall (little known founder of Wall’s Ice Cream) also adds a reminder that splits [...]

Official Slow-icitor

Yet another facet of the system is creaking under the caseload: I am reliably informed that the Official Solicitor has written to family law practitioners to inform them that his staff is unable to accept new instructions to act as a guardian ad litem or litigation friend without some delay. In recent months there has [...]

ISWs throw in the towel

Community Care reports on the prospect of Independent Social Workers quitting over the fees cap to be introduced by the LSC in October. What the article fails to disentangle (in fact it rather adds to the confusion) is the distinction between ISWs contracted by CAFCASS on a self employed basis to carry out Guardian or [...]

Shock News – Family Justice System Stretched to Breaking Point

Thanks to Family Law Week for alerting me to this judgment of Thorpe LJ in which the court considered the proper husbanding of limited resources in determining the way forward in a contact case. It was in the course of that judgment last year that Thorpe LJ remarked that the family justice system was ‘stretched [...]

Heads and Eyes Rolling

Is there any part of the family justice system not being adversely affected by a lack of resources? . A quite astonishing experience recently in a Family Proceedings Court: already delayed care proceedings were being re-listed for final hearing and all advocates and all parties were united in their view that the case required a [...]

CAFCASS – Fact Finding

Jacqui Gilliat on the Family Law Week Blog highlights two concerning practice developments here in her post about CAFCASS. Firstly that CAFCASS officers in some areas are being encouraged to express a view about disputed allegations of domestic violence. In my experience some CAFCASS Officers don’t need much encouragement to do just that, but that [...]