News Essentials: Leap day edition

A brief summary of the essential family law news and cases from the last week:

M (Children) (Non-Hague Convention State) [2020] EWCA Civ 277 (28 February 2020)
Appeal by mother against order giving the mother and the father permission respectively to take their two young children to Qatar and Dubai for the purpose of holidays. Appeal dismissed. Full report: Bailii.

Re P (Abduction: Child's Objections) [2020] EWCA Civ 260 (28 February 2020)
Application by 13 year old child to be joined to the proceedings, initially for the purposes of appealing order requiring 3 children to be returned to Germany. Full report: Bailii.

Woman wins compensation for stymied career in landmark divorce case
Lawyer awarded £400,000 as well as half of £10m estate after she quit working to look after children. Full story: The Guardian.

Sally Cheshire CBE appointed as Interim Chair of Cafcass
The Secretary of State has announced the appointment of Sally Cheshire CBE as Interim Chair of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. Full story: Ministry of Justice and Cafcass.

G (A Child: S.38(6) Assessment) [2020] EWCA Civ 282 (28 February 2020)
Local authority's appeal from an order under s.38(6) Children Act 1989 for a residential assessment. Appeal allowed. Full report: Bailii.

I (Children: Child Assessment Order) [2020] EWCA Civ 281 (28 February 2020)
Appeal concerning court's power to make a child assessment order under s.43 of the Children Act, in case in which their father had been convicted of an offence under the Terrorism Act. Full report: Bailii.

YM v NM (Maintenance Pending Suit) [2020] EWFC 13 (25 February 2020)
Applications by wife for maintenance pending suit and an order injuncting the husband from selling the former matrimonial home unless he agrees to the wife's proposed terms for an escrow agreement with respect to the sale of the former matrimonial home. Full report: Bailii.

E (A Child: Burial Arrangements) [2019] EWHC 3639 (Fam) (27 November 2019)
Application by the applicant father for, firstly, a Declaration of Parentage under Section 55A of the Family Law Act 1986, and secondly a limited grant of letters of administration in relation to his deceased daughter. Full report: Bailii.

C (A Child : Interim Separation) [2020] EWCA Civ 257 (26 February 2020)
This appeal concerns a baby who is now 5 months old and was cared for by her mother under supervision in a residential unit until 16 January, when she was placed in foster care. On 31 January, HHJ Sharpe decided after a two day hearing that mother and child should be reunited in a different residential unit. From that decision the local authority appeals. Full report: Bailii.

Domestic abuser jailed after landmark appeal by solicitor general
Domestic abuse case is first of its kind to fall under unduly lenient sentence scheme. Full story: The Guardian.

Local Government Authority highlights children social care underfunding
The Local Government Authority (LGA) has released analysis on council spending and called for the government to invest in early help and prevention services. Full story: Family Law Week.

X (Number 4: Religious Differences: Shared Care) [2019] EWFC B81 (11 September 2019)
Application by father, an orthodox Jew, to vary child arrangements order. Full report: Bailii.

Family judges to take online sexual consent course
The judiciary has sought to cool public anger after a judge was denounced for ‘outdated’ views on rape, promising to create new resources to teach family judges about sexual consent. Full story: Law Society Gazette.

Government confirms extra support for Troubled Families programme to succeed
Families with deep rooted problems will receive much-needed support to get their lives back on track with up to £165 million of new funding, announced the Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP. Full story: Family Law.