Archives: Family

This category can only be viewed by members.

Guidance – information sharing; children

April 2025 | Family

Many years since its first and only edition was published, HMCTS has issued updated guidance on sharing information outside of family court proceedings. It is aimed at lawyers and anyone else participating in family proceedings concerning children. It covers what may be shared about a case and when; who can share information; and when permission …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Practice – court fees

April 2025 | Family

Increased court fees came into effect on 1 April 2025 to account for changes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Fees that have increased include the following under the Family Proceedings Fees Order 2008: application for a divorce, nullity or dissolution of CP is now £612 (up from £593); application for matrimonial or civil partnership …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Care orders – discharge

April 2025 | Family

Discharging care orders would not be good for the welfare of the children, the family court decided. It was for the applicant to show on balance that discharging the orders would be beneficial to the child. M applied for care orders in respect of S (a teen) and P (primary school age) to be discharged …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Public law – proceedings

April 2025 | Family

The LA applied for a care order in relation to a six-year-old (P). The application emanated from lengthy private children proceedings. The LA had eventually become involved and P was removed from M’s care in October 2023 under an interim care order. At the hearing for an interim order, there was a wealth of evidence …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Child maintenance – declaration of non-parentage

April 2025 | Family

J was granted a declaration of non-parentage in respect of 16-year-old twins he was financially supporting. The children were born as a result of IVF treatment in Cyprus. The parties married in April 2008, three months before the twins were born. Sadly, they separated in 2009 and J had no contact with the twins since …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Financial remedies – conduct; company assets

April 2025 | Family

A party’s poor conduct, including persistent abusive communications, was not ‘exceptional’ enough to impact the final financial award. The key issue in dispute in this high-value case was the valuation of a company. The parties had been married for 19 years and had 12-year-old twins who lived with W. W had applied for financial remedies …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Financial remedies – company assets

April 2025 | Family

Two key issues in these proceedings following a 40-year marriage were the valuation of H’s company shares, and how the consideration received by W for the sale of another company should be treated. W is British; H holds dual British and US citizenship and worked in finance. In 2012 H purchased 1,000+ Bitcoin at a …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Adoption – placement order

April 2025 | Family

The CA refused to make a placement order in favour of the aunt and uncle of M, who was 14 months old. M has been in care all his life but the aunt and uncle were not a realistic option for the placement. M’s mother has four children from a previous relationship. Soon after commencing …

This article is only available to subscribers.

Children – parental alienation

April 2025 | Family

Alienating behaviours vary in intensity, and in the extent of the emotional, social and psychological impact on the children. Such behaviours include manipulation, false allegations of abuse and encouraging bad feeling towards a parent. There is not yet any formal legal definition of parental alienation, but the Family Justice Council issued valuable guidance on the …

This article is only available to subscribers.