The President of the Family Division, Andrew McFarlane, has published interim reports relating to proposals for reform within the family courts for both public and private family law cases.

The aim of the project is not to reform the legislation inside the system, instead it hopes to improve the ability of professionals inside the system to apply the current law.

As part of that effort, the Pres has launched a consultation inviting views on how to do this. And he’s looking for members of the public with bright ideas to get in touch.

In his note which has been published along with the reports, McFarlane says:

“My experience in visiting very many Family Court centres during the past 9 months is that some of the best ideas have come from individuals, it is, therefore, my hope that, in addition to organisations and other institutional consultees, individual professionals and members of the public will read these documents and become directly engaged in the consultation.”

If you’d like to get involved, the consultation runs from today, 3rd July, until 30th September 2019.

The main page which houses information on the consultation offers the ways in which you can submit your thoughts:

• Responses to the Private Law Interim Report can be submitted to the President’s Private Office by emailing pfd.office@judiciary.uk with the Subject Header of “PRIVATE LAW: Consultation Response”.
• Responses to the Public Law Interim Report can be submitted via this link.
• Any responses by post, should be sent to : The President of the Family Division, Family Division, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL.

All the documents, including the interim reports, can be accessed here.