Cansford bangs the drum for drug and alcohol testing industry regulation
The outcomes of drug and alcohol testing in family law cases can affect livelihoods, families, relationships and reputations and the consequences of mistakes can be devastating. Yet the industry is not regulated. Just take a moment to let that sink in. John Wicks, CEO of drug and alcohol testing firm Cansford Laboratories, is passionately banging […]
Adjusted ‘Mostyn formula’ clarifies how to calculate child maintenance payments for high earners
In advance of his retirement this summer, High Court judge, Mr Justice Mostyn, has recently produced two important judgments in relation to the quantification of child maintenance in cases where parents earn more than £156,000 gross per annum. Ellie Hampson-Jones explains the “Mostyn formula”, and a recent “adjustment” for payers earning more than £156,000 but […]
Appeal in HRA ‘failure to remove’ claim dismissed – AB v Worcestershire CC
The Court of Appeal has today dismissed the claimant’s appeal against the order of Ms Margaret Obi, sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge, granting summary judgment to two defendant councils in respect of allegations that their failure to seek care orders in respect of the claimant exposed him to mistreatment by his mother, infringing […]
New child maintenance powers set to protect victims from domestic abusers
A government-backed Bill ensuring victims of domestic abuse can receive financial support for their children without contact from their abuser has been approved by Parliament. The new law will allow the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to intervene on behalf of parents where abuse is evident, using its powers to collect and make payments. This set-up, […]
Resolution and Law Society shun mandatory mediation for divorcing couples
Resolution and the Law Society of England and Wales have both separately said divorcing couples should not be subject to mandatory mediation, with the latter citing barriers in place to attending court as “likely to deny access to justice”. This comes in response to a government consultation launched in March seeking views on supporting earlier […]
Four-year anniversary of the Women in Law Pledge
This week marks four-years since the Women in Law Pledge was launched to bring gender equality to the forefront of the conversation, as announced by The Law Society of England and Wales. Last year saw the celebration of 100 years since the admission of the first woman solicitor in England and Wales. In 2022, 53% […]
Hopes high for surrogacy reform
The family law community has high hopes for surrogacy law reform in the wake of the Law Commission’s recently released proposals and draft bill. Speaking at the Today’s Family Lawyer Surrogacy event on 19th June, Natalie Sutherland, partner at Burgess Mee and speaker at the event, said she was hopeful that the latest reform proposals […]
Home Office considers broadening scope of domestic homicide reviews
The government is considering changes to the legislation surrounding domestic homicide reviews (DHR) to ensure they better reflect the range of deaths that can result from domestic abuse. The Home Office said a DHR is a multi-agency review which seeks to identify and implement lessons learned from deaths which have, or appear to have, resulted […]
Cost of living crisis ‘preventing women from escaping abuse’
The continued impact of the cost of living crisis means that women who are unable to find a place in a suitable refuge are facing greater risks, including homelessness or being forced to remain with the perpetrator, according to a new Women’s Aid report. 15.4% of women supported by the charity’s No Woman Turned Away […]
Cohabitation reform: MPs call on government to rethink response to landmark report
The government has been urged to rethink its response to – and, in many cases, rejection of – the cohabitation law reform proposals put forward by the Women and Equalities Committee last year. The report highlighted the lack of legal protection afforded to cohabiting couples, with Resolution describing their position as one of “legal limbo”. Key […]
