header-logo header-logo

04 November 2010 / Simon Blain
Issue: 7440 / Categories: Features , Mediation , Family
printer mail-detail

Food for thought

Simon Blain digests some bread & butter cases

All too often, the cases appearing in the law reports seem to have little relevance to one’s day to day practice. Even the momentous decisions of the Supreme Court in Imerman and Granatino can feel as if they are of only academic interest, so far removed are they from the problems experienced by the majority of our clients.

Occasionally however, the higher courts do find themselves wrestling with the type of problem which faces every family law practitioner. One such case is Fisher-Aziz v Aziz [2010] EWCA Civ 673, in which Lord Justice Thorpe, sitting in the Court of Appeal, made some interesting observations about how courts should deal with the former matrimonial home when the family is mired in debt. Another is AA and NA [2010] EWHC 1282 Fam, in which Mr Justice Mostyn grappled with multiple allegations within private law residence and contact proceedings. Both judgments contain pearls of wisdom of direct relevance in daily practice.

Fisher-Aziz v Aziz

This is an exceptionally

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

London Solicitors Litigation Association—John McElroy

London Solicitors Litigation Association—John McElroy

Fieldfisher partner appointed president as LSLA marks milestone year

Kingsley Napley—Kirsty Churm & Olivia Stiles

Kingsley Napley—Kirsty Churm & Olivia Stiles

Firm promotes two lawyers to partnership across employment and family

Foot Anstey—five promotions

Foot Anstey—five promotions

Firm promotes five lawyers to partnership across key growth areas

NEWS
Freezing orders in divorce proceedings can unexpectedly ensnare third parties and disrupt businesses. In NLJ this week, Lucy James of Trowers & Hamlins explains how these orders—dubbed a ‘nuclear weapon’—preserve assets but can extend far beyond spouses to companies and business partners 
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified that ‘rent’ must be monetary—excluding tenants paid in labour from statutory protection. In this week's NLJ, James Naylor explains Garraway v Phillips, where a tenant worked two days a week instead of paying rent
Thousands more magistrates are to be recruited, under a major shake-up to speed up and expand the hiring process
Three men wrongly imprisoned for a combined 77 years have been released—yet received ‘not a penny’ in compensation, exposing deep flaws in the justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Jon Robins reports on Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan, whose convictions collapsed amid discredited forensics, ‘oppressive’ police interviews and unreliable ‘cell confessions’
A quiet month for employment cases still delivers key legal clarifications. In his latest Employment Law Brief for NLJ, Ian Smith reports that whistleblowing protection remains intact even where disclosures are partly self-serving, provided the worker reasonably believes they serve the ‘public interest’ 
back-to-top-scroll