Family law series

A fact-finding hearing may be held when one party makes allegations during family law proceedings and the other party denies the allegations. A hearing is arranged to decide whether or not the allegations are true.

Delivered by Sam Watts, barrister, Coram Chambers, this is the first of two sessions focusing on fact-finding hearings in private family law proceedings.

The topics covered include:

• When is a fact-finding hearing necessary?
• What will the court consider and at what stage?
• Immediate case management considerations

Resources:

• Fact-finding (part 1, session 1) slides
• Re H-N and others
• Practice Direction 12J paragrahs 16,17 and 19

A fact-finding hearing may be held when one party makes allegations during family law proceedings and the other party denies the allegations. A hearing is arranged to decide whether or not the allegations are true.

Delivered by Srishti Suresh, barrister, Coram Chambers, this is the second of two sessions focusing on fact-finding in family law.

The topics covered include:

• What is the best way to make a fact-finding hearing maximally effective?
• How do we draft witness statements in the best way?
• Scott schedules or narrative witness statements post-H-N?
• What kind of evidence assists?

Resources:

• Fact-finding (part 2, session 2) slides (to be added)

Drug and alcohol assessments may arise, when there are allegations of alcohol abuse or substance misuse, to help a court make decisions on what custody and contact arrangements are in a child’s best interests.

Delivered by Sam Watts, barrister, Coram Chambers, this session looks at drug and alcohol judicial assessments.

The topics covered include:

• Drug and alcohol testing: principles and practicalities
• Applications for assessments under Part 25 FPR 2010
• Section 7 reports
• The Local Authority and it’s role

Resources:

• Drug and alcohol assessments slides

Delivered by Srishti Suresh, barrister, Coram Chambers, this video focuses on special measures and vulnerable witnesses in family law.  

The topics covered include:

• When and how do we take account of Practice Direction 3AA?
• When domestic abuse applies, how do we need to think about evidence?
• Practice Direction 12J
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• How do both intersect with 3AA?

[recording to come]

Resources:

• Special measures and vulnerable witnesses slides

Delivered by Sam Watts, barrister, Coram Chambers, this session focuses on contact arrangements in family law proceedings.

The topics covered include:

• Interim arrangements and what the court will consider
• Final arrangements, including lives with orders and shared care
• Necessary procedural steps

Resources:

• Contact arrangements slides

Delivered by Srishti Suresh, barrister, Coram Chambers, this session focuses on parental alienation and intractable conflict.  This session is the final in a series of six sessions focussing on private family law proceedings. 

The topics covered include:

• What is parental alienation?
• Case managing allegations of parental alienation, including when allegations intersect with PD 12J and domestic abuse
• Guardians – when do we need them?

Resources: