Welcome to another week.
These are the latest family court items that should be right on your radar:
- Family court chief admits learning disability should not automatically lead to child removal (speech)
- Reopening findings of fact: fairness of hearing in a family court case
- Nightingale Courts to remain open to boost capacity and speed up justice
Researching Reform 
“Reopening findings of fact: fairness of hearing in a family court case”
if this happened in every case where parents did not get a fair hearing it would take decades to get through them all.
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Most of the parents who ask me for help after what they describe as an unfair hearing tell similar stories.
They were told by their legal team that they could not speak in court or call friends and relatives as witnessess.
Their solicitor or barrister explained that they would speak for the parent(s) and conduct the case.
Most parents asked them to fight the care order or adoption placement to the bitter end only to find their lawyer agree to the orders contrary to their instructions on the grounds that it was “better to save our ammunition for later”
Alas “later never came ! ”
Lastly the parents are usually told they cannot appeal and if they do ask for permission to appeal quoting the unfairness of the court as above their request is returned as “having no merit”!
Such is the justice in our secret family courts !
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Very well put Ian.
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This is really interesting and important news for families, especially those with learning disabilities. It’s great to see that the Nightingale Courts will remain open in order to speed up the process of justice. Could you explain more about the Reopening Findings of Fact and the implications for family court cases?
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Hi Joanna, I hope these links help by way of background:
https://www.parklaneplowden.co.uk/reopening-findings-of-fact-fairness-of-hearing/
A different case: https://www.familylawweek.co.uk/site.aspx?i=ed202413#:~:text=Where%20the%20challenge%20arises%20within,actual%20or%20potential%20legal%20significance.
https://www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/child-protection/392-children-protection-news/41245-family-court-has-jurisdiction-to-review-its-findings-of-fact-says-court-of-appeal
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