The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has published the latest quarterly family court statistics for the period October to December 2021. Figures show the average time for a care or supervision case to reach first disposal
Home Secretary Priti Patel has launched a new Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan informed by victims and survivors. The new plan aligns closely to the recent Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and sets a
Not being able to get work experience whilst in school, attending the wrong university, the inability to afford the necessary qualifications and fierce competition are only some of the barriers to entry into the legal
The British Government is being urged to help thousands of children whose mental health is put at risk when families separate, because parents are left to “square up” rather than “sit down” and seek an
A guide on child maintenance has been published by the Department for Work and Pensions. The new guide informs users how to create and manage a child maintenance arrangement, and also includes information about action
Outdoor weddings at licensed venues in England and Wales will be legalised permanently after the change received overwhelming support from the public, faith groups and the wedding industry. The change will mean that marrying couples
“Cyberflashing” will become a new criminal offence with perpetrators facing up to two years behind bars under new laws to be introduced by the Government. The practice typically involves offenders sending an unsolicited sexual image
Today marks the two year anniversary since lockdown measures were first introduced in England to help combat the spread of the global covid-19 pandemic. Now that restrictions have lifted, with no further isolation requirements and
Winckworth Sherwood will be holding a debate: Greater Transparency Debate on 31st March 2022 on the president of the Family Division’s proposals to allow greater press reporting (and legal bloggers) of Family Court hearings in
Solicitors in England and Wales will mark the start of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, which challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. Law Society president I. Stephanie Boyce said: “I am pleased to mark the start
A clear majority of people in the UK reject the rationale underpinning the government’s Nationality and Borders Bill which singles out those who have to take a clandestine route to safety, a new poll by
A consultation on the legal aid means test was launched by the UK government earlier this week (15 March). The Law Society of England and Wales has welcomed the proposals to expand legal aid eligibility,
Law firm Burgess Mee has launched “The Cross Check” to offer clients holistic advice on navigating the legal, financial and emotional aspects of relationship breakdown. Burgess Mee Family Law have announced the launch of The
Coodes Solicitors has appointed five new lawyers to its Family team. The expansion of the department, across its network of offices, will help the South West law firm meet growing demand for its specialist legal
Victims of domestic abuse will receive better support as part of a new approach being piloted in the family courts. The new pilot launched at family courts in North Wales and Dorset aims to improve
The House of Lords Select Committee on the Children and Families Act 2014 has launched its post-legislative scrutiny inquiry into the Children and Families Act 2014 and is inviting written evidence contributions. The central question
With the Divorce Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 becoming effective next month, Mr Justice Mostyn has announced amendments to the terminology of several standard orders relating to divorce proceedings. In a message published by the
New research from law firm Moore Barlow reveals that almost half of wealthy individuals are planning to end their marriages due to relationship breakdowns caused by the pandemic. A survey conducted by law firm Moore
Piers Pressdee QC, barrister at 4PB, who represented the successful mother in the recent case of MG v AR, considers its implications. The rareness of costs orders in children and financial remedy cases has meant
Marked in many family lawyers’ calendars, the first working Monday of the New Year is often associated with a flurry of divorce enquiries and has been notoriously coined by the media as “Divorce Day”. Couples
The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Bill received a third reading last week in the House of Commons. If successful, the Bill would raise the minimum age for marriage and civil partnership in England
A divorce has been set aside by the family courts following the forging of official documents which left a woman unaware that she was divorced for 12 years. The decision comes after the judge ruled
Confusion amongst family lawyers has arisen this week following a notification issued by the MyHMCTS online service which stated that the digital portal will soon close due to imminent divorce law reforms. The message posted
The Legal Ombudsman has launched a consultation on proposals to reduce the timeframe in which clients can make complaints about solicitors. Currently complaints are permitted within six years of a mistake, or within three years
Research conducted by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) reveals that the number of applications to the High Court to deprive children of their liberty in unregulated settings has increased by 462% over three years.
Domestic abuse victims and their children will receive extra support to help them rebuild their lives in a safe environment, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has announced. A further £125 million will
Sir Andrew McFarlane, the president of the Family Division, has clarified arrangements for physical attendance in court following confusion over an earlier announcement. Confusion arose when Sir Andrew McFarlane issued a message to practitioners stating
The Law Society Group has published its gender pay gap report for 2021. The report includes the combined results of the Law Society of England and Wales and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which operates
New resources providing law firms with support and guidance on creating healthy working environments have been issued by the SRA, coinciding with the publication of a review into what solicitors say about the culture in
Recently published Office for National Statistics divorce rate figures reveal a 4.5% decrease in the number of divorces completed in 2020 compared with 2019. Statistics show that in 2020, there were 103,592 divorces granted in
The Law Commission has provisionally proposed a framework that could allow non‑religious belief organisations, such as humanists, to conduct legally binding marriage ceremonies, as part of a wider consultation on reform of the law relating
The Home Office has announced the 21 organisations who have been successful in securing funding for research projects on perpetrators of domestic abuse. The £1.4 million funding will support 21 projects that build on existing
Seven new regional Ministry of Justice (MOJ) offices will be opened across England and Wales, the Deputy Prime Minister has announced, as the government continues to level up communities. The new Justice Collaboration Centres will
The Law Society of England and Wales has issued a response to the government’s Levelling Up whitepaper, which was unveiled by Michael Gove last week. “The government will struggle to achieve its levelling up mission
Diversity within law firms is continuing to slowly improve year-on-year, with smaller firms increasingly more diverse than larger ones. These are among the key findings published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) following its latest
Family law firm, Simpson Millar, has launched a new single lawyer divorce service, “Separating Together”. The firm says the profession needs to “challenge itself” to better meet the needs of consumers amidst growing demand for