Almost exactly two years ago, the President of the Family Division of the High Court, Sir Andrew McFarlane, gave a speech in which he described that contested children proceedings “should be the option of last resort” (https://www.judiciary.uk/speech-by-the-president-of-the-family-division-when-families-fall-apart-do-they-fall-too-easily-into-court/). He added that the family court “must, in most normal cases, presume that it is in the child’s […]
Read moreIn recent years, our increasing use of smart devices has transformed our professional and personal lives. Those changes have not been confined to younger age groups traditionally thought most alert to the emergence of new trends. Data released only last month revealed that the number of individuals of pension age with a mobile ‘phone had […]
Read moreAll it takes is placing one foot outside the front door in the morning to show that we are still in the grip of winter. Low light, lower temperatures and even the odd flurry of snow are very much the order of the day at this time of year. Usually, of course, it’s the impact […]
Read moreRegular readers of this ‘blog will be aware that one of the topics which appears from time to time is domestic abuse. That is because abuse is a feature in a considerable number of the cases dealt with by myself and my colleagues throughout the course of the year. Back in September, my colleague Jodi […]
Read moreAccording to an old African proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child”. A glance at new figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that large parts not just of one village but the entire world are making their own telling contribution to the British population. Just under one-third of all […]
Read moreFairness is one of the fundamental principles of law. That applies both to ongoing proceedings – whether they’re in court or not – and any orders or agreements which might arise from them. It is something which those presiding over cases are regularly reminded of – for example, by the Judicial College, which organises training […]
Read moreMoving from day-to-day, it might seem that our lives and those of individuals around us remain within a relatively familiar frame. However, if we take a moment to reflect, we can discern how family life in the UK has changed just as surely and as rapidly as the fabric of the towns and cities which […]
Read moreRegular readers of this ‘blog will have noticed that one of its regular themes has been the way in which family life in England and Wales has changed in recent years. In addition to articles on how opposite sex and same sex couples form and frame their relationships, another topic has generated comment having featured […]
Read more