This story is hardly news and will doubtless summarise your experience of the post LASPO world. The headline says it all.
Two things stand out however. First Dave Cameron’s recent restatement of his “Family Test” (yes he has used this PR stunt before )
His main point:
“parents and children were too often overlooked and could be left worse off by reforms”.
Exactly. And when Judges start to point this out what are you going to do and given that you said the same in 2011 why should we believe you now?
Secondly, as ever, the MoJ “blah, blah, blah” Person’s response, at the end of the article, in infuriating. Yes:
“Mediation can be quicker, cheaper and less stressful than going through the confrontational experience of going to court”.
Family lawyers have always known that and have always made appropriate mediation referrals. These, of course, are on the decline because people do not get that referral from a Legal aid solicitor any more.
In any event this misses the point. It is largely those for whom mediation is not appropriate to which the Judge refers.
One presumes that because they are splitting they no longer deserve the “help people who come together stay together” do. The children less so.
HT:
Our very owen Dean Grindle
