header-logo header-logo

Evolution or revolution?

19 February 2009 / David Williams
Issue: 7357 / Categories: Features , Divorce , Child law , Family
printer mail-detail

David Williams charts the changing approach to the representation of children in Hague Convention cases

The demand for separate representation for children in Hague Convention proceedings has seen significant activity in the last three years with the subject receiving consideration twice in the House of Lords and three times in the Court of Appeal, most recently in Re C [2008] EWHC 517 (Fam), [2009] 1 FCR 194.

The seminal authority was for many years the decision of Mr Justice Wall in Re S (Abduction: Children: Separate Representation) [1997] 1 FLR 486. On the back of this decision separate representation for children was rare indeed over the next 10 years. When children were represented it took a variety of forms from Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service Legal (now CAFCASS High Court Team) to children instructing solicitors directly. Hague cases were seemingly insulated against the sea-change occurring in private law. Th e end of the beginning came in July 2006 when the Court of Appeal heard Re H [2006] EWCA Civ 1247,

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

Belfast team bolstered by three senior hires and 16 further appointments

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Firm strengthens leveraged finance team with London partner hire

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

NEWS
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve reports on Haynes v Thomson, the first judicial application of the Supreme Court’s For Women Scotland ruling in a discrimination claim, in this week's NLJ
Charlie Mercer and Astrid Gillam of Stewarts crunch the numbers on civil fraud claims in the English courts, in this week's NLJ. New data shows civil fraud claims rising steadily since 2014, with the King’s Bench Division overtaking the Commercial Court as the forum of choice for lower-value disputes
The Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment in July that overturned the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, once poster boys of the Libor and Euribor scandal. In NLJ this week, Neil Swift of Peters & Peters considers what the ruling means for financial law enforcement
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
Artificial intelligence may be revolutionising the law, but its misuse could wreck cases and careers, warns Clare Arthurs of Penningtons Manches Cooper in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll