Explanation | The Transparency Project

An example of why headlines matter

by Lucy R | Aug 18, 2019 | Cases, Comment, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

We have seen a number of reports dealing with the sad story of a young father called Christopher Brown who took his own life by hanging. The reports follow a Coroner’s Inquest into the death and most have similar copy which suggest they are based upon a single...

How to challenge findings of fact about children

by Lucy R | Aug 18, 2019 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

The Court of Appeal has issued a judgment which clarifies when and how a parent who has been the subject of findings of fact can challenge those findings. This post summarises that new guidance. The full judgment is somewhat more complicated and can be read here...

Can an adoption order be undone? – New case

by Julie D | Aug 13, 2019 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

Three years ago, I wrote a blog post, ‘Can an adoption order be undone?’ The answer was, only in very exceptional circumstances. A new High Court judgment, published last week, ZH v HS & others [2019] EWHC 2190, has not broken any new ground, but gives...

F (A Child: Fact-Finding Appeal) [2019] EWCA Civ 1244: what’s the difference between an expert witness and a witness with expertise?

by Malvika Jaganmohan | Aug 9, 2019 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

This is a post from Malvika Jaganmohan, who tweets as @MalvikaJaganmo1. I have already written for this blog on the shortage of expert witnesses in the family courts: my case summary of West Sussex County Council v B looks at the potential for miscarriages...

Supreme Court’s decision in asbestos case: guidance bearing on transparency in family courts

by Lucy R | Aug 4, 2019 | Cases, Explanation, FCReportingWatch, Transparency News

This post explains how a civil case about harm caused by asbestos can have implications for transparency relevant to family courts. Those interested in reading further can see the full judgment here Cape Intermediate Holdings Ltd v Dring (for and on behalf of...

Re AB (Termination of Pregnancy) [2019] EWCA Civ 1215: An explanation of the Court of Appeal’s decision in the so-called ‘forced abortion’ case

by Abigail Bond | Jul 22, 2019 | Cases, Court of Protection, Explanation, FCReportingWatch

This is a post from Abigail Bond, one of our new contributors. Abigail tweets as @AbigailBond1. On Friday 21 June 2019 Mrs Justice Lieven gave an ex tempore (spoken) judgment in open court in the Court of Protection, declaring that AB, a 24 year old...