Case Summaries

The applicant wife applied for a further Legal Services Payments Order (“LSPO”), in the context of long-running financial remedy proceedings.

HHJ Levey refused a local authority’s application for its allocated social worker to give evidence anonymously in proceedings to discharge a care order, holding that the highly exceptional threshold was not met once an independent social worker had taken over all of the father facing work.

Ms Justice Henke declined to make a final care order in respect of a 15 year old girl with complex needs.

The High Court of Justice, Family Division, considered an application for summary return of the three children HF aged 8 years, KF aged 6 years and LF aged 5 years, and BB aged 7 years 11 months to Dubai, under the court’s inherent jurisdiction.

Mr Justice Peel allowed a mother’s appeal against HHJ Greenfield’s dismissal of two of her allegations of domestic abuse and his substitution of alternative findings.

HHJ Willans determined that the father should have only indirect contact with the child, N, because any progression in the arrangements would not be safe due to the risk of further domestic abuse. This case was reported on 3 June 2026.

This case concerns the paternity of a child, “YZ”, in Nanyuki, Kenya. The mother, and a number of other mothers in that area, claimed that the biological fathers of their children were British servicemen from the British Army Training Unit in Kenya. The mother in this case claimed that “UVW” was YZ’s biological father and sought a declaration of parentage.

A case concerning an application under 1980 Hague Convention (‘the Convention’) for summary return of three children by father to Peru.

A case concerning an application under section 55 of the Family Law Act 1986 for a declaration as to marital status.

Hearing of father’s contact application, following findings of domestic abuse against him. Contact ordered to continue on indirect basis only.

Application by father for summary return of teenage son to Hungary. Application dismissed, particularly in light of child’s objections

The Court of Appeal, at an oral hearing, refused a local authority permission to appeal against a judge’s decision to reject its applications for care and placement orders and to order that the children should be returned to their mother pursuant to supervision orders.

This application was heard in the High Court by Mr Justice Poole. As his lordship set out at paragraph 1 of the judgment

This was a reported ex tempore judgment concerning a contempt application. The court referred to the relevant parties as wife and husband, given the contextual background concerning financial remedy proceedings.

This case concerns a child, “A”, and a dispute surrounding the time she spends with her father.

The applicant husband (H) applied to set aside a decree absolute made on 21 November 2014, alleging that it had been obtained through fraud and procedural irregularity. Following the death of the wife (W) in 2022, her son from a previous relationship was joined as second respondent (R2) as personal representative of her estate [1], [4].