Prior warnings from a judge to family lawyers that bringing unnecessary divorce cases to court
Family Lawyers have had warnings from a judge about bringing unnecessary divorce cases to court, following Family Procedure Rule Changes. The issue has becoming increasingly pertinent following the changes. Solicitors firm, Family Law Partners, said that the recent modifications to family law procedures, effective from 29th April, are designed to ease burdens on courts, families, […]
Australia’s new Family Law Act to widen the definition of ‘family’ to include step-parents and kinships
On May 6th changes to Australia’s Family Law Amendment Act 2023 came into effect after being passed by parliament last autumn. From now on, the law changes will apply to all new and existing parenting proceedings, except from those where the final hearing has already begun. Step-parents may now be considered ‘family’ as a broadening […]
People with HIV can now donate eggs or sperm to start a family
People with HIV are now able to donate their sperm or eggs to their partners, as the law in the UK is updated. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act will be amended via a statutory instrument to allow people with non-transmissible HIV – with a viral load low enough not to pass on – to […]
Comparisons of mediation between the UK and the US
Last week Chester-based Manleys solicitors virtually mediated a case in New York, USA. The case highlighted fundamental differences between the US and UK mediation systems – including higher fees in the states described by Manley’s MD as ‘eye-watering’. The negotiation phase of the mediation also presented something new, according to the firm. American lawyers are […]
Data breaches within the legal sector uncover persistent compliance issues
The legal sector has ranked sixth among industries that have struggled with data breaches in 2023, calling for greater awareness of basic data handling. Since 2019 the ICO has been tracking and recording data leaks and security breaches within UK industries. UK based data breach solicitors Hayes Connor have streamlined the data to highlight which […]
Wealth Recovery Solicitors launches crypto tracing offering for private client and family solicitors
Wealth Recovery Solicitors (WRS ETL) has launched a new cryptocurrency tracing proposition for private client and family solicitors. This service will not only help firms whose clients have fallen foul of scams but can also provide solicitors with the detailed data required to prove ownership of cryptocurrency assets for estate administration or to prove the […]
Arizona governor Katie Hobbs signs measure to repeal 1864 abortion ban law
The governor of the state of Arizona, USA, has sought to repeal an archaic abortion law created in 1864, by signing a measure to repeal an almost total ban on terminating a pregnancy. After the furore of The Supreme Court overturning the landmark 1973 abortion case Roe v Wade in 2022, the debate of whether […]
New changes to the Family Procedure Rules
As of April 29th, the new regulation mandating the majority of separating and divorcing couples to first attempt non-court dispute resolution methods, like mediation, for addressing children arrangements and financial matters, has officially come into effect. The changes have been introduced because the previous Rules were not applied to the extent expected and did not […]
Navigating the pitfalls of generative AI in legal proceedings: A call for guidance and awareness
With access to justice at such a low ebb, there are now more people than ever representing themselves at court – often through necessity rather than choice. The main resource available to them is The Handbook for Litigants in Person, a document created by judges which explains the stages and process of a civil case. […]
LSB sets out pro-innovation approach to AI regulation in legal services
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has set out its pro-innovation approach to the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal services sector. Published yesterday, the update explains the oversight regulator’s overall approach to technology including AI and the scope of LSB’s regulatory remit. It also sets out: The LSB’s new statutory guidance on technology […]
Thousands of cases without representation in UK Family Courts
Concerns have been raised after rising numbers of litigants in person (LiPs) combined with backlogs, delays and ‘chronic lack of investment’ is creating what the Law Society is calling a ‘perfect storm’ the the family justice system. New figures have shown that those who have been the worst affected by litigation issues in family law […]
Record numbers of calls to slavery helpline include suspected forced surrogacy
New data has revealed that record numbers of phone calls have been made to an ant-slavery helpline. Concerns have been raised about forced surrogacy cases, after three potential victims informed the support line. There was a total of 11,700 contacts to the modern slavery and exploitation helpline in 2023, up by almost a fifth from […]
Cohabitation campaigner joins London law firm
Westminster-based law firm Williams Sturges has announced the appointment of Graeme Fraser as their new Head of Family. Graeme is known for his work across the family law community, in particular he is an advocate for cohabitation law reform in England and Wales and is regular commentator on media platforms including BBC, SKY, FT, and […]
‘Misogynistic’ sexually explicit ‘deepfake’ images named as new offence after reforms to Online Safety Act
Crafting doctored sexually explicit images of adults called ‘deepfakes’ will now be deemed an offence, after reforms to the UK’s Online Safety Act. Those convicted will face prosecution and an unlimited fine. Actress Emma Watson and US Politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have both been the victim of AI deepfake pornography and have spoken openly about the […]
Central family court judges resume robes in response to safety concerns
Judges at the Central Family Court are reintroducing robes during proceedings as part of a trial aimed at enhancing formality and safety within family courts, announced HM judiciary. The decision comes amidst worries over instances of violence and threats faced by judges and court users. During the three-month pilot, authorized by Family Division President Sir […]
Tough new measures to bolster landmark victims’ law
Victims of serious crimes committed by those with mental disorders will be able to explain in their own words the impact the offence has had on them, due to tough new amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill. New measures will mean survivors are provided with the opportunity to make a Victim Impact Statement during […]
East Midlands Courts implement new management system in children’s private law to ‘provide better outcomes’
It has been announced in the East Midlands Courts that a new case management system has been introduced regarding private children’s law proceedings. Earlier this year a conference was held regarding the release of this new system, which will focus on ‘child welfare’ as a priority. Justice of the High Court Mrs Justice Lieven has […]
Surge in ‘honour-based’ abuse cases
Recent figures suggest a stark rise of over 60% in “honour-based” abuse offences recorded by English police forces over the past two years, as reported by The Guardian. This trend, encompassing forced marriage, rape, death threats, and assault, reflects 2,594 cases reported in 2022 compared to 1,599 in 2020. While increased victim reporting and better […]
Legal Ombudsman say ‘create a bigger picture of what’s happening in legal services, what’s going wrong, and what needs to change’
The Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) reached the end of its 2020-23 strategy period in March 2023. Having put in place an interim strategy until the end of March 2024, it has now consulted on and published a new strategy for the Legal Ombudsman (LeO), which will run from 1 April 2024 to 31 March […]
Ofsted report of Court advisory ‘outstanding’
Ofsted has published it’s full report of the full inspection of independent court advisory service Cafcass which took place earlier this year, and has judged all three areas of inspection to be ‘outstanding’- a marked improvement since their last inspection in 2018 where they were judged to be ‘Good’. Inspectors evaluated a range of […]