Children Law Seminar 22nd September 2017
Places are still available for this week’s children law seminar hosted by No5 Chambers in Wolverhampton.
The programme and booking details can be found here.
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18
September
We will keep you informed about training events which may be hosted by the FJB or other organisations, and will make educational material available on this page.
05
September
HRA Applications in Children Act Proceedings
The course materials from the recent seminar hosted by Clare Coles and Laura Vickers of No5 Chambers are now available to download here.
Please note: this is a sizeable document which may take a few moments to download.
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10
July
Guidance on the Publication of Judgments
The Transparency Project has published a very helpful and comprehensive guide for court users and professionals as to the publication of judgments in family proceedings.
The guide can be found here.
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10
July
Free Tea-Time CPD this week
No5 Chambers is hosting two CPD seminars on 13th July 2017 in Leicester at 4:45-6:00pm.
Participants can elect to attend either Agree to Disagree: Agreements in financial remedy post-Radmacher (hosted by Juliet Allen) or Human Rights Act applications in Children Act proceedings: An update (hosted by Laura Vickers and Clare Coles).
The event will be followed by a drinks reception. For further details and to book, click here.
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08
January
DVPP – Cafcass best practice
Cafcass have issued a letter to Designated Family Judges, published here, clarifying best practice when ordering a party in private law proceedings to attend a Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programme (DVPP). A difficulty had been identified in that, when a final order is made, there is no mechanism for Cafcass to remain involved to monitor the progress of the programme. Practitioners are now reminded to ensure that a clear order is made which allows for Cafcass ongoing involvement.
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25
November
Local Practice Guidance issued by HHJ Bellamy regarding the length of documents
Please find attached a local Practice Guidance – length of documents, issued by His Honour Judge Bellamy on 22nd November 2016 to address the length of documents filed within public law proceedings.
Please note that this practice direction contains specific page limits for the length of certain court documents to be filed, as follows:
Social work statements: 25 pages
Parenting and other assessments: 25 pages
Social work chronologies: 4 pages
Threshold documents: 2 pages
Psychologist reports: 25 pages
Independent social work reports: 25 pages
The above page limits should be adhered to unless the court gives permission in a case management order, pending any amendments to the Bundles Practice Direction, Practice Direction 27A by the President.
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10
October
ALC Conference 2016
The Association of Lawyers for Children will be hoping to continue in the rich vein of success of their annual conferences, with their upcoming conference in Bristol on 17th-19th November 2016.
Entitled “25 years of the Children Act; More Haste, Less Speed?”, the conference features a packed schedule. Residential options are available. The full programme is available here and booking is open online here.
Our very own DFJ HHJ Bellamy is the chair and we hope again for a strong Leicester contingent, as ever.
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03
October
LLFJB Family Justice Day – 28th October 2016
Bookings have opened!
The theme is ‘Perspectives and Assessment of Risk’ and the keynote speaker is Leicester’s very own Will Tyler Q.C. speaking on radicalisation. Please find the poster attached.
Plenary speakers are Professor Jane Barlow on Health Policy in pre-birth and early years, and Pause, a London based charity who focus on programmes to break the cycle of repeated removals.
Please remember to chose two workshops when booking. Here is the booking form.
The day starts with registration from 8.45am and will conclude by 4.30pm. It is worth 6 CPD and tickets are £100 for lawyers and £40 for social care professionals. Programme and workshops attached.
We value your feedback. Please complete the feedback form and return to Louise, below.
Please contact Louise at family@leicester.countycourt.gsi.gov.uk to book.
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22
September
Family Justice Council Guidance in financial remedy proceedings
Despite the statutory provisions of section 25 MCA 1973 concerns have been raised about the interpretation of needs within financial remedy proceedings. Such concern is highlighted in the 2014 Law Commission report on Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements.
The background to the report is that in 2009 the Law Commission commenced a project to examine the status and enforceability of marital property agreements. In January 2011 it opened its consultation, reviewing the current law of marital property agreements and discussing options for reform.
The project was extended in 2012 to cover two further issues of financial provision arising on divorce or the dissolution of a civil partnership, namely a targeted review of two aspects of financial provision on divorce and the dissolution of a civil partnership: financial needs and non-matrimonial property. The project’s aim was to bring clarity and predictability.
Following on from the Law Commission’s report there have been two recent guidance documents released by the Family Justice Council, namely:
- “Sorting out Finances on Divorce” dated April 2016 (aimed at litigants in person) and
- Guidance on “Financial Needs” on Divorce dated July 2016 (for the judiciary and legal profession).
Both documents provide accessible and clear examples that make them essential reading for all financial remedy practitioners, providing a helpful refresher on key provisions and cases.
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22
August
Leicester Family Justice Day – 28th October 2016
Please note that this year’s Leicester Family Justice Day will be on Friday 28th October 2016, at Stamford Court, Oadby.
This is the same venue as last year. Speakers will be confirmed shortly, but please save the date and register your interest.
