News Essentials: 2nd April 2022

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

NEWS

Man jailed for not granting Jewish divorce to wife
A man who did not grant his wife a Jewish divorce has been jailed after admitting coercive behaviour. Full story: BBC News.

Court of Appeal allows appeal over placement order after judicial analysis "fell significantly short"
The Court of Appeal has overturned a decision to make a placement order for an 18-month-old boy after finding that the judicial analysis "fell significantly short". Full story: Local Government Lawyer.

Mediation seen as ‘form of capitulation’, MoJ poll finds
Mediation is frequently seen as a ‘hurdle to jump’ or a sign of admission or weakness, according to a survey conducted by the government. Full story: Law Society Gazette.

Family Court Statistics Quarterly: October to December 2021
Quarterly and annual data on the volume of cases dealt with by family courts over time, with statistics also broken down for the main types of case involved. Full story: Ministry of Justice.

Legal aid statistics quarterly: October to December 2021
Activity in the legal aid system for England and Wales, including criminal and civil legal aid and family mediation. Full story: Ministry of Justice and Legal Aid Agency.

Separated families statistics: April 2014 to March 2021 (experimental)
Statistics on separated families and their child maintenance arrangements. Full story: Department for Work and Pensions.

Outcomes for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities, in England: 2020 to 2021
A range of outcome measures at national and local authority level for children in need, including children looked after by local authorities in England. Full story: Department for Education.

Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan
The government's plan will drive down the prevalence of domestic abuse and domestic homicide and provide victims and survivors with the support they need. Full story: Home Office. See also this news story.

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

Guidance from the President of the Family Division: the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 amends the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 and the Civil Partnership Act 2004 to remove fault-based concepts in proceedings for divorce, dissolution and (judicial) separation. The President of the Family Division has issued this guidance in order to explain the impact of this change on the court’s approach to costs. Full story: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.

Revealed: top 10 children’s care providers made £300m profits
Concern at growing role of private equity as councils struggle to meet spiralling costs. Full story: The Observer.

CASES

B v P [2022] EWFC B18 (31 March 2022)
Appeal by mother against findings of fact in private law children proceedings. Appeal allowed. Full report: Bailii.

An NHS Trust v ST (Refusal of Deprivation of Liberty Order) [2022] EWHC 719 (Fam)
Application by NHS Trust for declaration authorising the deprivation of liberty of a vulnerable child currently placed in a hospital ward. Full report: Bailii.

CC, Re (A Child: Article 13(b), Hague Convention 1980) [2022] EWHC 743 (Fam) (08 February 2022)
Application by father for summary return of child to the Republic of South Africa. Return ordered. Full report: Bailii.

V & W, Re (Hague Return Order, Lithuania) [2022] EWHC 739 (Fam) (30 March 2022)
Application by father for summary return of children to Lithuania. Mother's grave risk of harm defence made out. Full report: Bailii.

Goddard-Watts v Goddard-Watts [2022] EWHC 711 (Fam) (03 February 2022)
Second rehearing of the wife's claim for financial remedy orders, the two previous orders having been set aside as a result of the non-disclosure of the husband. Full report: Bailii.

A Child (fact-finding, fabricated or induced illness) [2022] EWFC B17 (18 March 2022)
Fact-finding in care proceedings, in which the Local Authority alleged that the Mother had fabricated, induced and/or exaggerated medical conditions, symptoms of illness and/or presentations in the Child. Full report: Bailii.