Case Summaries

This was a contested 1980 Hague Convention case. The applicant sought the return of two children to the jurisdiction of Poland. The children were aged 9 and 5.

The High Court explored the issue of procedural fairness and the concept of justice being seen to be done, in circumstances where the father had significant interactions with counsel for the mother prior to the hearing, including sending counsel a brief in expectation of instruction.

In London Borough of Richmond v Sally, Bob, Simon, Jane & Peter [2024] EWFC 335 (B), His Honour Judge Willans determined the care arrangements for two children, Jane and Peter.

Mr Justice Poole considers the evidential considerations that are relevant to the making of an International Special Guardianship Orders. Additionally, the judgment considers the procedural implications of the making of an international SGO, particularly in relation to immigration matters.

The court was concerned with one child, B. The parties were the mother and the father. The judge outlined the important background from paragraph 1. The parents are first cousins and M was brought up in Pakistan. They married in 2008. 

The local authority issued care proceedings on 07th August 2024 and on 17th September 2024 they applied for leave to make a wardship application and the next day, the local authority applied to withdraw the care proceedings (paragraphs 8 and 9).

This judgment relates to a contested application pursuant to the 1980 Hague Convention. The judge presiding over the case was Ms Naomi Davey sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge. The judge was concerned with a child, 18 months old, referred to in the judgment as ‘AB’. The mother sought to defend the return on three basis: a) habitual residence, consent or subsequently acquiesced, and Article 13b.

A lengthy and complex fact-finding resulting in findings by HHJ Moradifar that the mother was responsible for the children’s horrific life experiences.

Application by GDC for disclosure of documents from public law proceedings re: children of dental technician. Issues of whether contempt proceedings should be brought. Disclosure permitted and no contempt proceedings were commenced, but LA & GDC criticised for unauthorised disclosure that occurred prior to the application. The judge referred to it as a salutary lesson for public bodies.

Cobb J appointed the respondent’s mother as his guardian enabling her to administer his financial affairs, dealing with his house and his creditors while he was missing.

An application by a news media organisation to publish the identity of a local authority and a police force when reporting on judgments given in a care case. The application was refused.

This hearing was conducted by Mr Justice Peel, a High Court Judge. The court was concerned with ‘W’ a three week old baby who, when unborn was placed on a Child Protection Plan on 18 September 2024.

Lord Justice Jackson reverses Mrs. Justice Lieven’s ruling allowing contact with their father, imprisoned for raping their mother. This decision cautions against prioritising children’s wishes over acknowledging the emotional impact on the victim of an unrepentant abusive parent. This case ultimately highlights the need to analyse the relevant welfare checklist factors against PD12J, providing a thorough assessment and reasons to support the decision.

This judgment concerns the common law test for recognising a foreign adoption, which applies where the adoption takes place in a jurisdiction that is not a signatory to the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. The judgment also addresses ECHR considerations relevant to the recognition of foreign adoptions.  

HHJ Middleton-Roy had a fact-finding hearing where the Father (F) was applying for a Child Arrangements Order in light of the Mother (M) making serious domestic abuse allegations against F.

This case concerned the Father’s application to vary a child maintenance order, having lost his previously high paying job. There had been protracted financial remedies proceedings leading up to this, where the applicant’s conduct was questionable.