Family Court Reporting Watch Roundup

• Correcting, clarifying or commenting on media reports of family court cases

• Explaining or commenting on published Judgments of family court cases

• Highlighting other transparency news

 

MEDIA (MIS)REPORTS OF FAMILY COURT CASES

 

John Hemming’s web log –  We commented on Statement re Grandparents and Locked Bedroom Case by John Hemming, in The shaggy dog that turned out to be a woolly sheep. Hemming’s blog responds to requests from the Transparency Project and others, to clarify the factual basis of his comments published in the Telegraph in April 2017 (Child locked locked in bedroom by grandparents is taken into care):

 

 

The Times – We aim to comment on revised Practice Direction 12J and reports of it, such as Children at risk of psychogical or physical abuse must not have contact with parent, judges told,  in the Times. The Practice Direction is here:

 

Researching Reform – We commented on the suggestion in Emergency Protection Orders And Who Can Apply For Them (Yes, You Can), that EPO applications (though technically possible), are advisable for parents worried about a child in a council or family placement. We also flagged some risks and alternatives. See Should I apply for an EPO?:

 

Guardian social network – We will be commenting on apparent misapprehensions about social work accountability expressed by a voluntary sector adoption and fostering manager in the opinion piece, Muslim fostering row: Careless press must be held to account.  (See also Paul Magrath of ICLR and the Transparency Project with The ‘muslim foster carer’ story and transparency in the family courts in Lawyer 2B Magazine on the same Times article):

 

 

The Daily Mail – Judge shames finance firm after ‘dozens of elderly clients lose thousands of pounds in savings’: We’re aiming to comment at least briefly on this if we can:

 

Solicitors in a state of flux – A guest post by Mena Ruparel, solicitor and co-author of “How to be an ethical solicitor” published by Bath Publishing:

 

Transparency Positives

 

The Press Gazette: Linking readers of the story, Independent loses appeal over order banning it from disclosing legal documents in bitter divorce case, with the published judgment from Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd:

 

 

NEWLY PUBLISHED CASES FOR EXPLANATION OR COMMENT

 

Hart v Hart [2017] EWCA Civ 1306 (31 August 2017) – We explained the case and long-standing principles about how to divide assets on divorce in Hart Felt: (Non)Matrimonial Money in Hart v Hart:

 

‘Ordinary’ cases from the family court (under the transparency by publication guidance):

 

M (Lack of Secure Accommodation) – HHJ Rowe from the West London Family Court:

 

A Local Authority v The Mother & Anor – HHJ Wildblood:

 

IN OTHER TRANSPARENCY NEWS

 

Parents recording social workers: A guidance note for parents and professionals – We’re reviewing where we are now, two years after launching the guide and gathering twitter thoughts:

 

 

The judiciary consultation on Mckenzie Friends – Reports have suggested an announcement on next steps in response to the paid Mckenzie Friends consultation is imminent and that it will involve another working group:

 

 

Feature pic: Courtesy of Flickr Lauri Heikkinenon via Creative Commons licence – with thanks