Another Re W – a successful appeal against refusal for leave to oppose an adoption

by Julie Doughty | Feb 23, 2020 | Cases, Comment, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

In this unusual case, Re W (A child: leave to oppose adoption) [2020] EWCA (Civ) 16, the Court of Appeal has given birth parents leave to oppose an adoption order being made. The child is nearly three years old and has been living with his prospective adopters since...

Lawyers highlight poor practice in private law cases and the impact on families

by Julie Doughty | Feb 14, 2020 | Comment, FCReportingWatch

A new research report paints a very alarming picture of the way in which some family courts are dealing with cases where there is domestic abuse, ignoring the procedures put in place by court rules.  Academics at the University of Sussex conducted a survey of 88...

Re W – a successful appeal against a placement and care order (and a costs order against the LA)

by reporting watch team | Feb 13, 2020 | Cases, Comment, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

This is a post by Emily Boardman. Emily is a founding partner at Boardman, Hawkins & Osborne LLP – family lawyers and mediators based in Oxfordshire. She has a national practice in adoption proceedings, appeals and representing parents in care proceedings. Emily...

‘The crisis in private law’ – by Sir James Munby

by reporting watch team | Feb 10, 2020 | Comment, FCReportingWatch

This is a talk by Sir James Munby (lately President of the Family Division of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales) at the Conference in Edinburgh on 10 February 2020 of Shared Parenting Scotland It is good of you to invite me to this important Conference....

Legal advice provided on online forums and social media (Part II)

by Tatiana Tkacukova | Feb 9, 2020 | Comment

This blog post continues to discuss the results of the research project led by Dr Tatiana Tkacukova and funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Grant Scheme.  Part I of the blog focused on the context of the study, the data collection process and the...

‘Mediation’: A BBC Radio 4 legal drama about an inheritance dispute

by Guest Post | Feb 5, 2020 | Analysis, Comment, FCReportingWatch

This is a first post from new writer Elizabeth Wark. Elizabeth is a barrister at 3 Doctor Johnston’s Buildings where she specialises in civil and family law. Before training as a barrister, she was a registered nurse in Australia and completed a training programme in...