News Essentials: 3rd July 2021

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

NEWS

“The family and criminal court system retraumatises victims”, according to a new report
The Domestic Abuse Commissioner is calling for urgent long-term funding and more dedicated specialist court support after a new report revealed that 89 per cent of domestic abuse survivors don’t get any support when they go through the family courts. Full story: Domestic Abuse Commissioner.

Figures show 44% fall in suspected forced marriage and FGM referred for Government advice
The number of cases of suspected forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) the Government provided advice on in 2020 fell 44%, largely due to the coronavirus pandemic, figures show. Full story: Care Appointments.

Remote hearings in family courts can obstruct justice, Law Society warns
Remote hearings in the family courts can obstruct justice and must be held in person if individuals are not able to properly understand what is happening, the Law Society has warned. Full story: The Independent.

Judge criticises solicitor for “woeful” conduct of her own divorce
The Family Court has been highly critical of the “woeful conduct” of a solicitor in her own divorce dispute, describing her evidence as “elusive and evasive”. Full story: Legal Futures.

Child Maintenance Service statistics: data to March 2021
Quarterly experimental statistics on the Child Maintenance Service to March 2021. Full story: Department for Work and Pensions.

Court of Appeal hears appeal concerning puberty-blocking drugs
The Court of Appeal has heard an appeal against a judgment in the Divisional Court that children under the age of 16 considering gender reassignment are unlikely to be mature enough to give informed consent to be prescribed puberty-blocking drugs. Full story: Family Law Week.

New public law cases received by Cafcass fell by 4 per cent in May
Cafcass received 1,373 new public law cases in May 2021. Full story: Family Law Week.

New private law cases received by Cafcass in May rose by 6 per cent
Cafcass received a total of 3,539 new private law cases in May 2021 which is 203 cases (6.1 per cent) more than the same period in 2020. Full story: Family Law Week.

The Child Support (Collection and Enforcement and Maintenance Calculation) (Amendment) Regulations 2021
These Regulations amend the Child Support (Collection and Enforcement) Regulations 1992. Statutory Instrument.

CASES

Child And Family Agency of Ireland v AB [2021] EWHC 1774 (Fam) (23 June 2021)
Request by Child and Family Agency of Ireland for a transfer of the care proceedings from the Courts of the Republic of Ireland to the Courts of England and Wales. Full report: Bailii.

SB v M [2021] EWFC 49 (11 June 2021)
Application by mother for permission to relocate to country in Africa, with the parties' son, aged 12. Application refused. Full report: Bailii.

AA v BB [2021] EWFC 55 (11 June 2021)
Child arrangements proceedings, in which F sought an order enabling children to stay with him in Dubai, Jordan and other jurisdictions outside England and Wales. Full report: Bailii.

Father v Mother (Fact Finding Hearing) [2021] EWFC B36 (26 March 2021)
Fact-finding hearing in child arrangements proceedings, concerning mother's allegations of abuse. Full report: Bailii.

A v R (Financial Remedy: costs) [2021] EWFC B35 (24 June 2021)
Financial remedies hearing, including application for costs against W, due to her litigation conduct. Full report: Bailii.

Q v Q [2021] EWHC 1757 (Fam) (28 June 2021)
Applications by W for, inter alia, freezing injunction and non-molestation order, the divorce having been finalised in 1991. Full report: Bailii.