The Court of Appeal has handed down judgment in a groundbreaking case that is expected to inform the way family courts treat allegations of domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour.
Two months after hearing four linked appeals related to family proceedings involving the welfare of children, family division president Sir Andrew McFarlane, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Holroyde published a 47-page judgment today.
The appeal court was last asked to give general guidance on the approach to domestic abuse in child contact cases two decades ago. Practice Direction 12J was subsequently issued, setting out what the family court is required to do in cases where it is alleged or admitted that the child or a party has experienced domestic abuse or that there is a risk of such abuse.
Read the full article here on the Law Gazette.
Surrogacy reform moves up the agenda
Surrogacy reform has moved a step closer with the news that the government met the Law Commission last month to discuss recommendations which had appeared to
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel publish Annual Report
On 12 December 2024 the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published its ‘Independent annual report for serious child safeguarding incidents, 2023 to 2024’. Read the
Plan to register children not in school takes shape
A register to identify children who are not in school in England will be part of a bill introduced to Parliament on Tuesday. Read the