HMCTS

HMCTS has launched its latest survey to gather feedback on how it communicates and engages with court and tribunal users including legal professionals, the advice sector, contractors and criminal justice partner. With the justice system

child maintenance

The Child Support (Enforcement) Bill is scheduled to receive Royal Assent on Thursday, marking the arrival of new provisions for the creation of liability orders without first making an application to the courts. At present,

chatgpt

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

deal

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

voice concern

Responses to the government’s mandatory mediation proposals have continued to flood in, with organisations such as the Family Solutions Group and the Association of Lawyers for Children (ALC) voicing concerns. This sees them join the

social care

The President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), John Pearce, used his speech to the ADCS Annual Conference to reflect on the government’s response to the independent review of children’s social care,

law society

The Law Society of England and Wales has set out its vision for the “important role” that the legal profession must play in the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), including the implementation of standards and

child stressed

Soaring family court delays mean children involved in private law cases are waiting 47 weeks – almost a year – on average to find out who they will be living with long term. This is

divorce

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

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

supreme court

The UK Supreme Court (UKSC) has ruled that financial provision claim proceedings under the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 cannot proceed once one of the parties to that claim dies. Unger and another (in

resolution

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

resolution

Resolution has announced the finalists for its inaugural gala awards dinner set to be held later this year. The Awards are set to be held at Church House, London, on 13th September 2023. The winners

scales of justice

Administrators have found buyers for parts of the network of law firms operating under the umbrella of Law Direct Limited, it has been revealed. Regarding the sale process, the Law Society Gazette reported: “The sale

rejected

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

police cordon

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

houses of parliament

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

legal services

A new report has revealed both regulated and unregulated legal services providers are concerned over the “cowboys” providing lower quality legal services with lower standards and no regulation. The report, commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation

committee

Today’s Family Lawyer recently sat down with the three newest members of Resolution’s National Committee following their election last month to discuss what they’re setting out to achieve. Here’s what they had to say. What

guide

A new guide has been launched to help parents and carers better understand their rights and how to manage the finances of disabled young people should they lose the capacity to make decisions for themselves.

Mani Singh Basi is a family law barrister at 4PB who recently published a book, A Practical Guide to Stranded Spouses in Family Law. He recently sat down with Today’s Family Lawyer to discuss his

children

Nagalro has joined calls made by the NSPCC and Barnardo’s last March to end corporal punishment for children in England. Nagalro – the professional association for children’s guardians, family court advisers, and independent social workers

legal aid

Access to legal aid has been extended to millions more people with barriers reduced for vulnerable groups including domestic abuse victims and children, the Ministry of Justice has announced. This comes following the conclusion of

social care

The Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) has published a new study painting a stark picture of the inequalities and disparities that exist across ethnic groups in the family justice system. The NFJO’s data provides an

barrister

Online barristers’ chambers The Barrister Group (TBG) has secured significant private equity investment in its mission to bring technology and flexibility to the 21st century Bar. The investment – described as an eight-figure sum –

house of lords

The government’s strategy to reform children’s social care has been scolded by the House of Lords Public Services Committee in a new report published on Thursday. While the “Stable Homes, Built on Love” strategy has

barbara mills

The Bar Council has confirmed Barbara Mills KC has been elected as its Vice Chair for 2024. In doing so, Mills becomes the first specialist family practitioner in 35 years to take up the role

care

Care services across Wales are set for a “radical reform” led by children and young people in a move that could enable a “children first” approach to the care system. A declaration, developed jointly by

home office

The Home Office has announced a £39 million package of new measures aiming to “weed out” domestic abuse and stalking across England and Wales. 50 projects will be rolled out over the next two years

family proceedings impact on children

It is high time that the word “justice” was taken out of “family justice system” as part of a broader effort to seek solutions instead of justice, according to His Honour Judge Martin Dancey. Speaking

New data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed the extent of the sharp drop in the number of people getting married during 2020. According to the ONS, there were 85,770 marriages

affordable advice

Law for Life has published an update on the success of its Affordable Advice service it operates in conjunction with Resolution. The service, which was developed to meet the needs of Litigants in Person (LiPs)