The latest figures for trends in living arrangements in the UK, for 2018, have been published by the Office for National Statistics. The main points included that the number of cohabiting couple families continues to grow faster than married couple and lone parent families, with an increase of 25.8% over the decade 2008 to 2018; […]

A domestic violence victim whose former partner was released from prison after serving just six months for assaulting her has had to go into hiding. Abigail Blake sustained a broken back and neck and was left permanently disabled after being attacked by Sebastian Swamy at their home in July 2017. The judge in the case […]

The Ministry of Justice and the Family Procedure Rule Committee (‘FPRC’) have launched a consultation seeking views as to whether the rules should be amended in relation to the treatment of ‘Calderbank’ offers when determining issues relating to costs. A Calderbank offer is a proposal that is made ‘without prejudice save as to costs’, which […]

The President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, has publicly criticised a bill that is going through parliament. In a speech delivered at the International Centre for Family Law, Policy and Practice she said that in her view Baroness Deech’s Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill was more threatening to the stability of marriage than the threat […]

The Lord Chancellor David Gauke has admitted that the passing of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, which will introduce a system of no-fault divorce, is likely to lead to a spike in new divorce cases. The admission came as the Bill was having its second reading in the House of Commons. However, Mr Gauke […]

CAFCASS Update The latest figures for care applications and private law demand, for May 2019, have been published by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (‘Cafcass’), the organisation that looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. In that month the service received a total of 1,152 new care applications, […]

Proposed Surrogacy Law Change The Law Commission of England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission are proposing to reform the surrogacy laws to allow intended parents to become legal parents when the child is born, subject to the surrogate retaining a right to object for a short period after the birth. This new “pathway” […]

Inquiry into the Treatment of Domestic Abuse in Family Courts A group of “concerned family and human rights lawyers” have written to David Gauke, the Justice Secretary, and Paul Maynard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, asking for an independent inquiry into treatment of domestic abuse in the family courts. The group, who work in-house […]

Cafcass, the organisation that looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings, has announced that its new Chief Executive, to replace Anthony Douglas when he retires in the autumn, will be Jacky Tiotto. Ms Tiotto, who is currently Director of Children’s Services at the London Borough of Bexley, commented: “Being offered the opportunity […]

Video hearings are being tested in domestic abuse cases, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and the Ministry of Justice have announced. The study by the Courts Service at Manchester Civil Justice Centre means vulnerable people can appear before the court using a video link from a computer in their solicitor’s office, thereby avoiding the distress […]