Family

The government has extended legal aid in private and public family law cases, and changed the evidential requirements for domestic abuse.

With the authority of the President of the Family Division, Mr Justice Peel, the national lead judge for the Financial Remedies Court, has nominated the circuit judges who from 6 April 2023 are permitted to refuse applications for permission to appeal in financial remedy proceedings without a hearing and, if the judge considers that the application is totally without merit, to make an order that the appellant may not request the decision to be reconsidered at a hearing.

Two rulebooks, both alike in dignity, in fair England’s courts, where we lay our scene.

Family lawyer Jane Craig issues a call for action on cohabitation rights, in this week’s NLJ. 

As the number of people living together without marrying continues to rise, the time for an ‘opt-out’ cohabitation law regime is now, argues Jane Craig

David Burrows delves into the origins of the Family Procedure Rules 2010: how do they overlap with their civil counterparts?

Latest CPR changes; latest FPR changes; new Official Solicitor form; new standard orders.

The minimum age for marriage rose to 18 this week, as the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 came into force.

The first Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction update of 2023 has been issued, amending various practice directions including, inter alia, amendments to reflect changes introduced by the Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2023, SI 2023/61, and also to make provision for parts of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The amendments come into force on 18 February 2023 and 6 April 2023.

Family courts in Cardiff, Leeds and Carlisle will open to reporters from this week under measures to increase transparency in the justice system.