Legal aid means testing removed for certain family law cases
Legal aid means testing has been removed for certain family cases as of 3rd August 2023, the Legal Aid Agency has announced. Specifically, means testing will no longer be required for: Under 18s applying for Legal Representation and Family Help (Higher), including applications for these services under Exceptional Case Funding; and Parents or those with […]
Costs of new inspection regime for children in care ‘could be 9 times higher than funding’
The costs of accommodating teenagers in care in semi-independent housing could be over nine times more than the government has committed up to 2026 to fund new regulations, while thousands of care beds could be withdrawn, a new report reveals. Ofsted will begin regulating semi-independent living homes for 16 and 17-year-old teenagers in care against […]
Should care experience be a ‘protected characteristic’ in law?
The Children’s Commissioner has launched a consultation on whether care experience should be a “protected characteristic” in law akin to that of age, disability, religion, and more. The Commissioner says there is an argument that such a protection would prevent discrimination faced by those who have experience in care. Others, however, suggest it would create […]
‘Quickie’ divorces: Family lawyers respond to CMA investigation
Following last week’s news that the Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation into the provision of unregulated legal services with so-called “quickie” divorces being one of the focuses, Today’s Family Lawyer sought the views of three family lawyers on what this might mean. Here’s what they had to say. ‘If it seems too […]
New report: ‘Whole School Approach’ needed to end VAWG
60% of girls have heard teachers use sexist language, according to a the #AboutTime new report released on Monday 12th June by the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW). Two years on from the landmark Ofsted review into sexual abuse in schools and colleges in England and Wales, the report finds major inadequacies in how […]
A View from The President’s Chambers: July 2023
President of the Family Division Sir Andrew McFarlane has published the latest edition of A View from The President’s Chambers for July 2023. The full document can be accessed below.
Domestic homicide: History of coercive or controlling behaviour to become mitigating factor
A history of coercive or controlling behaviour is set to become a statutory mitigating factor to better protect domestic abuse victims who kill their abuser, the Ministry of Justice has said. This comes as amongst a set of changes to the law around domestic homicide following Clare Wade KC’s Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review which was […]
Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 hits 10-year anniversary
The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 has this week reached its 10-year anniversary since receiving Royal Assent on 17th July 2013 with the first same sex marriage held in March the following year. The Act was drafted by Government Legal Department (GLD) lawyers, the Office for Parliamentary Council, Government Equalities Office, and other government […]
Introducing The British Family Law Awards 2024
The British Family Law Awards 2024: Today’s Family Lawyer is delighted to announce it will be hosting the first iteration of The British Family Law Awards in Bristol next year on Thursday 25th January. The British Family Law Awards follow in the distinguished footsteps of The British Wills and Probate Awards, now in their sixth […]
New inquiry: The escalation of VAWG
The Women and Equalities Committee has launched a new inquiry to understand whether men who commit certain types of crime and non-criminal offences have a higher potential to commit serious acts of violence against women. The inquiry will look at whether non-criminal behaviours or non-contact sexual offences can escalate to more serious crimes. It will […]
Public backs action to prevent child abuse in private messaging
New YouGov polling has found overwhelming public support for measures to protect children from abuse in private messaging, according to the NSPCC. The survey of 1,723 adults across the UK found most believe there should be a legal duty on tech firms to identify child sexual abuse in private messaging and to disrupt it in […]
AI ‘cannot yet rival divorce lawyers’, says firm
Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as ChatGPT and BARD cannot yet rival the advice provided by divorce lawyers, one firm has claimed. A recent study – conducted by SG Murphy Solicitors – started by asking ChatGPT3 and BARD various questions relating to divorce in Northern Ireland and the UK. It revealed that, although ChatGPT3 fared […]
‘Pioneering’ divorce lawyer joins Vardags
Vardags has announced that leading family lawyer David Lister has joined their London Office as Senior Partner. Announcing his arrival, Vardags said Lister has pioneered the use of litigation funding and third-party disclosure during his career, as well as having conduct of the largest court-determined matrimonial settlement at the time (£54 million), with proceedings in […]
Divorce applications down 5% since last year
New data released by the Ministry of Justice has revealed the number of divorce applications between January and March this year was 5% lower than the same period last year. The 28,865 applications made this year came under the new legislation which came into effect from 6th April 2022 and allowed couples to end their […]
HMCTS comes under pressure over proposed court reforms
HM Courts & Tribunals Service has come under pressure from the Law Society of England and Wales and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over court reform preposals. In a report published last week, the PAC found that the long history of resets, revisions, and delays to the Court Reform Programme (CRP) “has largely been due […]
‘Record investment’ set to see thousands more benefit from free legal support
Thousands more vulnerable people will be able to access free and early legal advice to resolve issues quickly and avoid court room proceedings due to a record boost in government funding, according to the Ministry of Justice. The Improving Outcomes Through Legal Support grant works by funding free legal advice and support services for those […]
Solo mothers seeking fertility treatment are ‘looking to Denmark’
More UK-based parents are choosing to establish a family on their own and high costs are leading many to receive fertility treatments abroad, it has been suggested. 42-year-old Harriet from the UK is one of the many British women who have taken matters into their own hands. In 2022, she sought out a Danish fertility […]
Image-based abuse: Perpetrators could face 2-year jail term under new rules
Perpetrators of image-based abuse could face up to two years in prison under new amendments to the Online Safety Bill announced by the Ministry of Justice. While the current law requires the prosecution to prove that perpetrators shared sexual images or films to cause distress, the new rules mean those who share intimate images without […]
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 […]