News Essentials: 4th December 2021

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

NEWS

Domestic abuse and sexual offences to be treated as seriously as knife crime
The change to the Serious Violence Duty will be made via an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. Full story: Home Office.

Daily Telegraph owner could go to jail for allegedly failing to pay ex-wife £50m
Lady Hiroko Barclay asks judge to commit Sir Frederick Barclay to prison for non-payment of divorce settlement. Full story: The Guardian.

Message from Mr Justice Mostyn: Family Procedure Rules – contempt forms
Four further forms for the use of the court in contempt proceedings have been issued. Full story: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.

Raab invites ‘drastic and bold’ ideas to keep family matters out of court
Justice secretary Dominic Raab has said he wants to do something ‘drastic’ to stop up to half of family law cases reaching court. Full story: Law Society Gazette.

Judge praises social work team as he extends troubled boy’s stay at £500,000 a year children’s home
A troubled boy’s placement in a children’s home is costing nearly £500,000 a year, a family court judge has said. Full story: Care Appointments.

Blueprint for family court monitoring mechanism unveiled
A monitoring mechanism to improve the family court’s response to domestic abuse will be piloted next spring, the domestic abuse commissioner and victims commissioner have revealed. Full story: Law Society Gazette.

General guidance on electronic court bundles
This general guidance is intended to ensure a level of consistency in the provision of electronic bundles (“e-bundles”) for court hearings (but not tribunal hearings) in a format that promotes the efficient preparation for, and management of, a hearing. Full story: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.

Ombudsman issues guidance to help domestic abuse survivors
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has called on councils to use its latest report to examine the services they provide to victims of domestic abuse. Full story: Family Law Week.

FGM statistics published
Between July 2021 and September 2021 there were 1,530 individual women and girls who had an attendance where FGM was identified. Full story: Family Law Week.

Domestic abuse offenders in England – not their victims – to be moved away from the family home
Local councils are looking to minimise disruption to children but concerns remain about safety and the underfunding of refuges. Full story: The Observer.

CASES

RR, Re Costs,S.91(14),Welfare [2021] EWFC 100 (06 September 2021)
Further hearing in child arrangements proceedings concerning, inter alia, costs and s.91(14) order. Full report: Bailii.

MGJ v Evans [2021] EWFC 99 (25 October 2021)
Committal application in respect of allegations of breach of Family Court orders by the respondent father. Full report: Bailii.

G v K [2021] EWHC 3240 (Fam) (03 December 2021)
Appeal by mother from registration of French custody order. Appeal dismissed. Full report: Bailii.

T v T & Ors (Inchoate Rights of Custody) [2021] EWHC 3231 (Fam) [2021] EWHC 3231 (Fam) (26 November 2021)
Application for summary return of 3 children to Republic of Ireland by maternal grandparents, who claimed to have been exercising inchoate custody rights in respect of the children. Return ordered. Full report: Bailii.

RR (Fact Finding, Retrial , Fatal Poisoning) [2021] EWFC 97 (11 June 2021)
Re-hearing of fact-finding in private law proceedings, concerning allegation by mother that father had poisoned her and her parents, her father having died from acute poisoning. Full report: Bailii.

M (A Child) [2021] EWHC 3225 (Fam) (01 December 2021)
Appeal by mother following a fact finding hearing as to allegations of rape and domestic abuse in the course of private law proceedings relating to a two year old girl. Appeal allowed. Full report: Bailii.

Borg v El Zubaidy [2021] EWHC 3227 (Fam) (30 November 2021)
Contempt proceedings regarding father's failure to comply with orders designed to support orders for the return of two of the parties' children from Libya. Full report: Bailii.