Ascertaining Children’s Wishes and Feelings

Paul Bishop, an independent social worker and formerly a Children’s Guardian, draws on 20 years’ experience of interviewing children involved in family proceedings.

Full article: Family Law Week

Fixed fees and windmills

There was an even larger than usual turnout at this week's quarterly meeting of the Forum of Family Arbitrators, a group in which all IFLA accredited arbitrators are invited to participate.

Full article: Family Law

Non-accidental Injury and Re-balancing the Burden of Proof

Dr John Fox, barrister of Lamb Building, reviews some recent cases which may suggest a re-consideration of the burden of proof in cases of alleged non-accidental injury.

Full article: Family Law Week

Mediation Matters: As storm clouds gather, you need faith in those you employ

We’re just a few weeks away from the introduction of a compulsory accreditation scheme which all family mediators will have to work towards if they’re to sell their services to the public.

Full article: Family Law

Family arbitration for 'DR dummies': An overview

In 2012 the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA) launched a scheme which provides for the arbitration of financial disputes following relationship breakdown after marriage or cohabitation.

Full article: Family Law

View from the Foot of the Tower: Three important adoption decisions

The Court of Appeal are still working their way through the backlog of appeals that were generated after the decision in Re B-S and the flurry of successful appeals that followed.

Full article: Family Law

Family Mediation – Boom or Bust?

Amina Somers, Head of Family Mediation at Goodman Ray, asks what can be done to increase the take-up of family mediation.

Full article: Family Law Week

The Devil in the Detail: The Court Bundles Practice Direction and J v J [2014] EWHC 3654

Alexander Chandler, barrister at 1 King’s Bench Walk considers the Implications of the Court Bundles Practice Direction in the light of Mostyn J’s judgment in J v J [2014] EWHC 3654.

Full article: Family Law Week

Revisiting child abduction: solving the problems in Nicolaou and Kayani

As part of a larger project, also including recommendations for the replacement of the common law offences of kidnapping and false imprisonment in statute, the Law Commission has made recommendations designed to resolve problems with the law on child abduction.

Full article: Family Law

Speech by Mr Justice Cobb at the 2014 Association of Lawyers for Children conference

Seen but not heard?

Full speech: Association of Lawyers for Children (PDF)

Little Dorritt and the Human Rights Act

There’s contempt of court, and then there’s contempt for those who don’t pay maintenance for their families. And it’s this category of miscreant who seem to be caught in a Dickensian time warp.

Full article: Family Law

JS Mill strikes back – Mostyn J takes on the Supreme Court

In Rochdale MBC v KW [2014] EWCOP 45, Mr Justice Mostyn took on the Supreme Court in Cheshire West and demanded that it 'reconsider' the application of Article 5 ECHR in the context of deprivation of liberty at home.

Full article: Family Law

Presumption of parental involvement now in force

After an unexplained delay, section 11 of the Children and Families Act 2014 was brought into force on 22nd October 2011.

Full article: Zenith Chambers (PDF)

Motivate to Mediate – the carrot and the stick

Annmarie Carvalho, Associate and Family Mediator with Farrer & Co LLP, examines two recent High Court cases which illustrate the court’s powers to ‘encourage’ parties into mediation.

Full article: Family Law Week

Legal Services Payment Orders and Maintenance Pending Suit

Anne Smallwood, family law barrister at No5 Chambers, recently gave a talk titled 'Section 22 Z A - Getting Paid And M.P.S' at the Family Money Talks Seminar 2014.

Full article: No5 Chambers

Finance & Divorce Update November 2014

Jessica Craigs, senior solicitor of Mills & Reeve LLP analyses the financial remedies and divorce news and cases published by Family Law Week during October.

Full article: Family Law Week

Lord Wilson gives the Denning Society Lecture at Lincoln’s Inn

Adoption: Complexities Beyond the Law.

Full speech: Supreme Court (PDF)

Post-Adoption Contact: All Change or More of the Same?

Lance Dodgson, barrister of Bank House Chambers, considers the changes concerning post-adoption contact made by the Children and Families Act 2014 and asks what effect they will have in practice.

Full article: Family Law Week

Domestic Violence Prevention and Punishment - A Multi-faceted Approach

Syvil Lloyd Morris, Director of Famil Law at Bastian Lloyd Morris Solicitor Advocates, considers the developing interrelationship between the criminal and family jurisdictions in relation to cases of domestic violence.

Full article: Family Law Week

Children Public Law Update (November 2014)

John Tughan, barrister, of 4 Paper Buildings reviews recent important judgments in public law children cases.

Full article: Family Law Week