News Essentials: 29th August 2020


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

NEWS

The Adoption and Children (Coronavirus) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2020
These Regulations make amendments to 6 sets of Regulations. The amendments are being made in order to assist the children’s social care sector during the coronavirus pandemic and cease to have effect on the 31st March 2021. Statutory Instrument.

Mother and grandparents win appeal over interim care orders
The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a mother and the maternal grandparents against interim care orders made in respect of three children, saying the transcript of the hearing before the recorder “demonstrates once again the difficulties facing courts required to conduct hearings remotely because of the restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic”. Full story: Local Government Lawyer.

MoJ headquarters begins new role as Nightingale court
The Ministry of Justice’s London headquarters has begun functioning as a Nightingale court hearing cases that are not usually open to the public. Full story: Law Society Gazette.

Mother in care case allowed to type answers from witness box
A High Court judge has praised the parties involved in a sensitive case where a mother was able to type her answers to cross-examination. Full story: Law Society Gazette.

Updated: Practice Direction on Committal for Contempt of Court in Open Court
The Lord Chief Justice has issued an updated Practice Direction on committal for contempt of court in open court. Full story: Family Law Week.

420,000 children in England at risk of eviction unless Government acts: Children’s Commissioner
Government bans evictions for another four weeks. Full story: Family Law Week.

CASES

Warwickshire County Council v K, L and M (Children) (4-6) [2020] EWFC 56 (14 August 2020)
Fact-finding hearing in care proceedings concerning three children, to establish the likely cause of injuries sustained by the youngest child. Full report: Bailii.

M (Children : Habitual Residence : 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention) [2020] EWCA Civ 1105 (25 August 2020)
Appeal by mother against return order. Appeal allowed, on basis that judge was wrong to determine that the children were habitually resident in Germany at the date of their wrongful retention by the mother. Full report: Bailii.

C (Children: Welfare) (No.2) [2020] EWFC B36 (24 August 2020)
Welfare hearing in care proceedings concerning two children. Full report: Bailii.

G v C [2020] EWFC B35 (OJ) (16 July 2020)
Hearing of various cross-applications in financial remedy proceedings, following a final hearing in October 2019. All applications dismissed. Full report: Bailii.

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