Presumption of parental responsibility tested in High Court
In a test case following plans to revoke the automatic right of parental involvement in family proceedings a judge has been asked to determine the future of a three and a half year old child whose mother was killed by her father, In the case of Re A (A Child) (Mother killed by Father) [2025] […]
Pathfinder pilots more than halving timescales in family courts
Pathfinder courts, currently being piloted in South East Wales, North Wales, Birmingham and Dorset, are reducing the time it takes from court application to final order; in some cases more than halving it in newly released figures from the Ministry of Justice. The average time it takes from receipt of application to final order has […]
Victims Commissioner passes away after short battle with illness
Tributes have poured in for Baroness Helen Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, who has passed away following a short illness. In a statement from the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner, a representative said: “We are deeply saddened to share that Baroness Helen Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, has passed […]
Legal Aid Agency confirm contingency procedures for November as civil systems launch delayed
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) has come under fire from the Law Society after it admitted it wouldn’t hit its target of delivering the next phase of the rollout of the new online system replacing the previous Legal Aid system hacked by criminals earlier this year. In an update published this week relating to submitting […]
Reeves backtracks on LLPs as chancellor sets the scene for tax increases
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has is reported to be watering down plans to raise tax through the imposition of of a national insurance equivalent levy on limited liability partnerships. First reported in The Times, it had been suggested efforts to raise revenue could include a new charge on LLPs which are not currently subject to national […]
Reforming parental involvement: Balancing welfare, risk and rights in the family courts
Family breakdown is rarely smooth, and some couples struggle more than others when deciding on post-separation arrangements, particularly when it comes to their children. It is ideal for parents to be able to decide child arrangements post-separation between themselves. This creates a more positive foundation for co-parenting. The assistance of family solicitors, mediators or divorce […]