12 March 2010 | Amanda Melton
The Times reported (March 4, 2010) that the office of President of the Family Division, the head of the family justice system, due to fall vacant in a month's time, has yet to be filled by the relevant...
Tags on this discussion: Family Justice System Jack Straw Justice Secretary Lord Justice Wall President of the Family Division
26 January 2010 | Amanda Melton
Earlier this week, the government announced a comprehensive review of the family justice system, aimed at giving children greater access to their grandparents, following separation and divorce. The intention...
Tags on this discussion: contact Family Justice System grandparent
26 January 2010 | Amanda Melton
In his Weird Cases column for The Times, Gary Slapper reports today ("the paternity matrix") on the Canadian paternity suit brought against Keanu Reeves by Karen Sala.
In a case full of cringeworthy...
Tags on this discussion: Karen Sala Keanu Reeves Paternity claim
11 January 2010 | Amanda Melton
The CSA is not known for its understanding any more than it is highly regarded for its speed of action. Surprisingly, it has acted promptly and, on the face of it, with some sensitivity, in the case...
Tags on this discussion: child maintenance arrears CSA
17 December 2009 | Amanda Melton
The Supreme Court ruled in re I (A Child) [2009] UKSC 10, interpreting art 12.3 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 ("Brussels II Revised"), that parties to child contact proceedings could opt in...
Tags on this discussion: Brussels II Revised Contact Order European Union jurisdiction Pakistan
16 December 2009 | Amanda Melton
Whilst family lawyers frequently tell their clients involved in contact and residence disputes that the Court's approach can produce singular results, the case of Re R (A Child) [2009] EWHC B38 (Fam)...
Tags on this discussion: contact shared residence order significant harm
14 December 2009 | Amanda Melton
In his foreword to "Relocation and Leave to Remove" a report published on 7 December 2009 and penned by The Custody Minefield, an internet resource for parents and families in children's disputes on relationship...
Tags on this discussion: Custody Minefield family practitioners relationship breakdown Relocation leave remove Sir Bob Geldof
14 December 2009 | Amanda Melton
In his address to the Association of Lawyers for Children at their annual conference in Manchester on Wednesday, 9 December 2009, Lord Justice Wall said that "the need for a powerful and properly resourced...
Tags on this discussion: Association Lawyers Children Family Justice System Lord Justice Wall
14 December 2009 | Amanda Melton
Mr Justice Hedley was so annoyed by the antics of Orkney Island Council ("OIC") and Cambridgeshire County Council ("CCC") that he declared "time-out" before delivering his judgement in the case of Re "I"...
Tags on this discussion: Cambridgeshire County Council Children Act foster parents Hedley medical needs and disabilities Orkney Island Council
14 December 2009 | Amanda Melton
A paper published last week by Robert George and Ceridwen Roberts of Oxford University warns that the new legislation contained in the Children Schools and Families Bill ‘lacks sufficient clarity’,...
Tags on this discussion: children schools and Families Bill family court reporting