Can an adoption order be undone? – New case

by Julie D | Aug 13, 2019 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

Three years ago, I wrote a blog post, ‘Can an adoption order be undone?’ The answer was, only in very exceptional circumstances. A new High Court judgment, published last week, ZH v HS & others [2019] EWHC 2190, has not broken any new ground, but gives...

TP Launches information leaflet about legal blogging

by reporting watch team | Aug 11, 2019 | FCReportingWatch, Legal blogging, Resources

Now that the legal blogging pilot has been extended in duration we thought it would be helpful to produce a short information leaflet that can be provided to people whose cases a legal blogger wants to observe. We hope that the information will give both litigants and...

What’s behind the headline: “Babies living with abusive parents under 24-hour CCTV, as Children’s Commissioner calls for review into the ‘Big Brother-style’ centres”?

by Lucy R | Aug 10, 2019 | Analysis, Cases, Comment, FCReportingWatch

[NB This post was updated on 20 August following response from Childrens’ Commissioner’s office – updates marked in square brackets] Last week, the Telegraph ran a piece from their social affairs correspondent Gabriella Swerling under this alarming...

F (A Child: Fact-Finding Appeal) [2019] EWCA Civ 1244: what’s the difference between an expert witness and a witness with expertise?

by Malvika Jaganmohan | Aug 9, 2019 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

This is a post from Malvika Jaganmohan, who tweets as @MalvikaJaganmo1. I have already written for this blog on the shortage of expert witnesses in the family courts: my case summary of West Sussex County Council v B looks at the potential for miscarriages...

How does the family court treat domestic abuse?: A ‘snapshot’ (continued – part 5)

by Sophie Smith Holland | Aug 6, 2019 | Analysis, Cases, Comment, FCReportingWatch

This is a post from Sophie Smith-Holland, who tweets as @SSmithHolland. With thanks to Alice Twaite. The question of how the Family Court deals with domestic abuse has had a huge amount of public and media attention recently. Concerns have been raised that the...

Supreme Court’s decision in asbestos case: guidance bearing on transparency in family courts

by Lucy R | Aug 4, 2019 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

This post explains how a civil case about harm caused by asbestos can have implications for transparency relevant to family courts. Those interested in reading further can see the full judgment here Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd v Dring (for and on behalf of...