Subterms
The case Re T (A Child): We’ve all seen those films that include a trial scene in which the defendant refuses to accept the authority of the court to rule over him. He does not have to answer to the court, which does not have the power to make orders that affect him. But what […] More
Making the decision to introduce a new partner to your children can be difficult. You may have a concern about upsetting your kids, worry about your ex-partner’s reaction or the impact on your new relationship. All of these are common and natural concerns. It can be difficult to gauge the right approach to take, but […] More
Playing the parental alienation card: As I reported here last Friday, earlier this month a study exploring the emergence and development of parental alienation (‘PA’) in England and Wales was published in the Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law. The study, conducted by Dr Adrienne Barnett of Brunel Law School at Brunel University London, found that parents, in particular, […] More
Family courts and domestic abuse: Last week a family case was the subject of an unusual level of attention from the media, both legal and mainstream, much of it reflecting badly upon the family justice system. I thought I should look at the case, in particular, the lessons that can, or cannot, be learned from […] More
The appalling extent of child abuse: On the 14th of January the Office for National Statistics (‘ONS’) published its first ‘compendium’ of statistics for child abuse in England and Wales, for the year ending March 2019. As it contains some truly appalling figures, I thought I should take a closer look. Better understanding As the […] More
No direct contact for father: All experienced family lawyers have come across it: the parent who is utterly certain that they know best, and who is unable to accept any contrary view. This outlook completely clouds their approach to any dispute over arrangements for their children, and how they deal with court proceedings aimed at […] More
A question I often encounter from clients is whether their ex can stop them from moving away with their children? Sometimes they are moving away to escape the tension or have met a new partner or wish to start a new life elsewhere. The legal answer is, as is often the case in family law, […] More
Sir Andrew McFarlane’s speech on our increased understanding of the subject of child abuse Another week, another speech by the President of the Family Division. Last week I wrote here about the speech that Sir Andrew McFarlane gave recently to a conference held by the Support Through Court charity, in which he gave an overview of […] More
