Recent cases of interest
- Successful intervention in financial remedies proceedings for a family member where it was proved that the husband had used non-matrimonial money for his own purposes
- The successful representation of a number of fathers found to have been unjustly alienated from their children and excluded from their lives.
- The successful representation of 3 mothers in separate proceedings seeking to relocate their children to the USA.
- The successful representation of a father who had been obstructed from having contact with his children because of what were proved to be false and malicious allegations of sexual and other abuse made against him by the mother with the ultimate result that the children moved to live with their father.
- The successful representation of a father seeking to secure residence for his daughter and recognition of a foreign adoption order.
- Negotiating significant financial settlements on behalf of separating partners consequent upon divorce.
- Securing significant damages for a vulnerable client under the Human Rights Act 1998.
- A groundbreaking case in the Supreme Court on the impact of the ECHR on the imperative to protect vulnerable witnesses in family proceedings.
- An appeal concerning the participation of the subject child in secure accommodation proceedings.
- Several serious medical treatment cases in the Court of Protection
- The representation of children in care proceedings where it was alleged that they were much older than represented by the documents of identity produced by their mother. These proceedings involved amongst other things the assessment of the age of the children, the establishment of their paternity and ultimately their identity, whether they ought to be permitted to give oral evidence to the Court and the use of wardship to secure the welfare.
- The representation of an incapacitated adult in the Court of Appeal who sought to challenge the recognition of a marriage by the English court of a ceremony conducted over the telephone which was regarded as valid in another jurisdiction.
- The first English case in which the Court of Protection found there to be a ‘non-marriage’.
- Several cases involving the ‘forced marriage’ of the vulnerable.
- Cases involving the challenge to Lasting Powers of Attorney.
- The representation of a local authority to sought to protect a vulnerable elderly lady from the physical and financial abuse of her by a member of her family.
- Two separate cases involving allegations of fabricated illness in a child and a vulnerable adult.
Case reports
- W (A Child : No 4) [2017] EWHC 1760 (Fam) (10 July 2017)- very rare application for permission to set aside adoption order on the grounds of fraud
- Kirk v Devon County Council & Anor [2017] EWCA Civ 260 (12 April 2017) committal proceedings relating to alleged breach of order made in the Court of Protection
- SW & TW (Children : Human Rights Claim: Procedure) (Rev 1) [2017] EWHC 450 (Fam) (08 March 2017) - guidance case on HRA claims made within care proceedings and the implications arising from public funding of such cases
- W (A Child), Re [2017] EWHC 829 (Fam) (06 March 2017)– exceptionally difficult and anxious adoption case
- Re A (A Chid) [2016] EWHC 2691 (Fam) Unusual application for relocation order following previous abduction of the child.
- QS v RS & Anor [2016] EWHC 2470 (Fam) (10 October 2016) Residence and recognition of foreign adoption order.
- M, Re [2016] EWCOP 42 (18 August 2016) Committal in the Court of Protection
- X (A Child) (No 2), Re [2016] EWHC 1668 (Fam) (08 July 2016) Publication of judgments
- QS v RS & Anor [2016] EWHC 1443 (Fam) (16 June 2016) Attempted removal of Children’s Guardian.
- A County Council v AB & Ors (Participation of P in Proceedings) [2016] EWCOP 41 (31 May 2016) Guidelines decision on participation of P and P giving evidence in the COP
- London Borough of Sutton v MH (No 1) [2016] EWHC 1375 (Fam) (22 March 2016) Jurisdiction to protect a child
- W (Medical Treatment: Anorexia), Re [2016] EWCOP 13 Treatment options for anorexic patient in the Court of Protection.
- S (Children) [2016] EWCA Civ 83 (09 February 2016) Appeal in sexual abuse case.
- H (A Child) [2015] EWCA Civ 1284 (11 December 2015) Appeal in adoption case.
- RS, Re (Forced Marriage Protection Order) [2015] EWHC 3534 (Fam) (03 December 2015) Forced foreign marriage of a vulnerable adult.
- F v Cumbria County Council & Anor (No 6) (Publicity) [2015] EWHC 3228 (Fam) (06 November 2015) Attendance of media in care proceedings.
- W (Adoption- Reunification), Re [2015] EWHC 2039 (Fam) (22 July 2015) Complex adoption application
- M, Re [2015] EWCOP 69 (07 July 2015) Appointment of health and welfare deputy.
- H (Children), Re [2015] EWCA Civ 583 (11 June 2015) Test for relief from sanctions in children’s cases
- CWM TAF University v F [2015] EWHC 2533 (Fam) (15 May 2015) Application to remove artificial nutrition and hydration In patient with PVS
- M (Costs), Re [2015] EWCOP 45 (23 April 2015) Costs application in the Court of Protection
- K v K [2015] EWHC 1064 (Fam) (21 April 2015) Appeal in matrimonial finance case
- LC, Re (Rev 2) [2015] EWCOP 25 (13 February 2015) Residence case in the COP
- Essex County Council v RF & Ors (Deprivation of Liberty and damage) [2015] EWCOP 1 (07 January 2015) Groundbreaking damages decision in the COP
- X & Ors (Deprivation of Liberty) (Number 2), Re [2014] EWCOP 37 (16 October 2014) Guidance on representation of P in DOLS applications.
- A Local Authority v M & Ors [2014] EWCOP 33 (11 August 2014) Fact finding decision in COP – factitious illness by proxy.
- X & Ors (Deprivation of Liberty) [2014] EWCOP 25 (07 August 2014) JS (A Child) [2014] EWHC B20 (Fam) (11 February 2014) Guidance on representation of P in DOLS applications.
- YLA v PM & Anor [2013] EWCOP 4020 (20 November 2013) Forced marriage case relating to vulnerable adult.