1 CONTENTS Return to CONTENTS GlossaryTHE FATHERS4JUSTICE HANDBOOK Nick Langford Published in Great Britain in October 2011 Copyright Nick Langford and Fathers 4 Justice 2011 The right of Nick Langford to be identified as the author of thi s work has been asserted by hi m in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988. All rights reserved. This e-Book may only be copied or printed out by the person who purchased i t, for their personal use. Any other copying, printing, distribution, storage or reproduction by any means of any part of this e-Book without the prior wri tten permission of the copyright owner is prohibited. The author of this e-Book is not a lawyer. The contents have been prepared by ordinary parents for the use of ordinary parents. All recommendations and advice as to legal actions and their consequences are made in good faith, but may differ from the advice likely to be given to you by a professional. Consequently no liability can be accepted by the author for any loss, expense or other outcome incurred as a resul t of following the guidance in this e-Book or as the resul t of any errors or omissions. This guide is intended for parents separating in England and Wales under the jurisdiction of the English and Welsh Family Courts; the law referred to in this guide is the legislation in force as at October 2011. 2 CONTENTS Return to CONTENTS GlossaryCONTENTS )25(:25'E\0DWW2&RQQor _____8 PREFACE ________________________9 About the Author _____________________________ 9 About Fathers 4 Justice ______________________ 10 Why Fathers 4 Justice? _______________________ 11 Dedication __________________________________ 13 Acknowledgements _________________________ 13 TOP TIPS _______________________14 GLOSSARY _____________________15 INTRODUCTION: 3 PRINCIPLES _____27 0.1. Family Justice Review________________ 27 0.2. The Paramountcy Principle ___________ 28 0.2.1. The history of welfare _______ 28 0.2.2. The Children Act 1989 ______ 33 0.2.3. Fallacies ___________________ 34 0.3. The Primary Carer ___________________ 36 0.4. The Balance of Probability ___________ 40 0.5. 7KH'HYLOV/DE\ULQWK _________________ 43 0.6. This e-Book__________________________ 44 CHAPTER 1: SHARING PARENTING _ 46 1.1. Property of the State _________________ 46 1.1.1. Definitions __________________ 49 1.1.2. Disenfranchised mothers ____ 49 1.1.3. Disenfranchised fathers _____ 50 1.2. Children Need Both Parents __________ 52 1.2.1. Justifying fatherhood _______ 52 1.2.2. Children need fathers _______ 52 1.2.3. Single parenting ____________ 53 1.2.4. Child safety ________________ 54 1.2.5. New-borns _________________ 55 1.2.6. Toddlers ____________________ 56 1.2.7. School children _____________ 56 1.2.8. Girls ________________________ 57 1.2.9. Boys _______________________ 59 1.2.10. Teenagers __________________ 60 1.3. Overcoming opposition ______________ 64 1.3.1. The Family Justice Review ___ 64 1.3.2. A common form of order____ 65 1.3.3. Overcoming conflict ________ 67 1.3.4. The inequality argument ____ 72 1.3.5. The challenge of distance___ 73 1.3.6. Non-biological parenting ___ 75 1.3.7. More-or-less equal __________ 77 1.3.8. Conclusion _________________ 77 CHAPTER 2: DIVORCE____________ 79 2.1. Warning! _____________________________79 2.2. Getting Divorced _____________________82 2.2.1. Before you start _____________82 2.2.2. Disputes ____________________84 2.2.3. Applying for divorce ________85 2.2.4. Filling out the petition________87 2.2.5. Claiming costs ______________91 2.2.6. What happens next _________92 2.2.7. Defending a divorce ________95 2.2.8. Moving out _________________96 2.3. Financial Remedy ____________________98 2.3.1. Pre-nuptial agreements _____98 2.3.2. Maintenance _______________99 2.3.3. Dividing the spoils _________ 101 2.3.4. Varying an order __________ 104 2.3.5. Court procedure __________ 106 2.3.6. Form E1 or E2 _____________ 107 2.3.7. Filling out Form E1 _________ 109 2.3.8. Filling out Form E2 _________ 109 2.3.9. First Directions Appointment 110 2.3.10. Financial Dispute Resolution 110 2.3.11. The trial ___________________ 111 2.3.12. Advice for cohabitees ____ 111 2.3.13. The matrimonial home ____ 112 2.4. Cases _____________________________ 117 3 CONTENTS Return to CONTENTS GlossaryCHAPTER 3: RESPONSIBILITIES _____118 3.1. Parental Responsibility ______________ 118 3.1.1. What is it? _________________ 118 3.1.2. Who has it? _______________ 120 3.1.3. Illegitimacy _______________ 121 3.1.4. Definition of parent ________ 123 3.1.5. 7KHRWKHUSDUHQW _________ 124 3.1.6. PR agreements ____________ 125 3.1.7. PR orders__________________ 125 3.1.8. Filling out Form C1 _________ 127 3.1.9. Shared residence orders ___ 128 3.1.10. When PR ends_____________ 128 3.1.11. Delegating PR_____________ 128 3.1.12. Surrendering PR ___________ 128 3.1.13. Paternity fraud ____________ 129 3.1.14. Seeking compensation ____ 130 3.1.15. Discussion _________________ 131 3.2. Exercising Parental Responsibility ____ 134 3.2.1. The right to be a parent ___ 134 3.2.2. Finding a missing child _____ 135 3.2.3. Doctors ___________________ 136 3.2.4. Schools ___________________ 137 3.2.5. Local authority housing ____ 141 3.2.6. Flexible working ___________ 142 3.2.7. Taking children abroad ____ 144 3.2.8. Photos of your children ____ 145 3.2.9. Abortion __________________ 146 3.2.10. Post-mortem PR ___________ 147 3.3. &KDQJLQJD&KLOGV1Dme___________ 148 3.3.1. $FKLOGVOHJDOQDPH_______ 148 3.3.2. Changing a name ________ 149 3.3.3. Reasons for change _______ 150 3.3.4. Stopping change _________ 151 3.3.5. Legal precedents _________ 151 3.4. Cases______________________________ 155 CHAPTER 4: ALTERNATIVES ______ 157 4.1. Alternative Dispute Resolution _______ 157 4.1.1. Your options _______________ 157 4.1.2. Mediation _________________ 158 4.1.3. Conciliation _______________ 161 4.1.4. Collaborative law__________ 163 4.1.5. Litigation __________________ 165 4.2. Lawyers ____________________________ 166 4.2.1. 'RQWXVHDVROLFLWRU _______ 166 4.2.2. Refusing instructions________ 168 4.2.3. Changing solicitors ________ 169 4.2.4. Querying the bill ___________ 170 4.2.5. Making a complaint _______ 170 4.3. Legal Aid ___________________________ 173 4.3.1. Qualifying for legal aid _____ 173 4.3.2. The levels of legal aid ______ 176 4.3.3. If legal aid is stopped ______ 177 4.4. Representing Yourself _______________ 178 4.4.1. Litigants in person__________ 178 4.4.2. What will it cost? ___________ 179 4.4.3. Claiming costs _____________ 180 4.5. McKenzie Friends ___________________ 183 4.5.1. 7KH0F.HQ]LHVUROH ________ 183 4.5.2. Tips on using a McKenzie ___ 190 4.5.3. Legal precedents__________ 193 4.5.4. Right of audience _________ 195 4.5.5. Anonymisation fallacy _____ 199 4.6. Other Sources of Advice ____________ 200 4.6.1. The Pro Bono Unit __________ 200 4.6.2. The RCJ Advice Bureau ____ 200 4.6.3. Quackery _________________ 200 4.6.4. Parenting organisations ____ 202 4.7. Cases ______________________________ 204 CHAPTER 5: ORDERS ____________ 205 5.1. The Children Act 1989 ______________ 205 5.1.1. Introduction of the Act ____ 205 5.1.2. &KLOGUHQVDFTXLVLWLRQRIULJKWV207 5.2. First Principles ______________________ 208 5.2.1. The welfare of the child ___ 208 5.2.2. The avoidance of delay ___ 210 5.2.3. 7KHQR-RUGHUSULQFLSOH ___ 211 5.2.4. The Court _________________ 212 5.3. Section 8 Orders ___________________ 212 5.3.1. Four new orders ___________ 212 5.3.2. Prohibited Steps Orders____ 213 5.3.3. Specific Issue Orders ______ 214 5.4. Contact Orders ____________________ 215 5.4.1. Introduction ______________ 215 5.4.2. Direct contact ____________ 217 5.4.3. Contact centres __________ 218 5.4.4. Supervised contact _______ 219 5.4.5. Our advice _______________ 220 5.4.6. Indirect contact __________ 222 5.4.7. No contact _______________ 223 5.4.8. Applying for contact ______ 223 5.4.9. Model contact order ______ 227 5.4.10. Interim contact ___________ 232 5.4.11. Varying an order __________ 233 5.4.12. Making contact work _____ 234 5.5. Residence Orders __________________ 235 5.5.1. Definition _________________ 235 5.5.2. Sole residence ____________ 236 5.5.3. Shared residence _________ 237 5.5.4. Joint residence ___________ 239 5.5.5. Making your application __ 239 5.5.6. When not to apply ________ 240 5.5.7. Transfer of residence ______ 241 5.5.8. Precedents for transfer ____ 242 5.5.9. Birds nest custody _________ 245 4 CONTENTS Return to CONTENTS Glossary5.6. Family Assistance Orders ___________ 245 5.7. Grandparents ______________________ 246 5.8. Siblings ____________________________ 249 5.9. Cases______________________________ 250 CHAPTER 6: PREPARATION _______253 6.1. Getting Organised __________________ 253 6.1.1. IMPORTANT _______________ 253 6.1.2. Some good advice________ 254 6.1.3. Family justice 101 __________ 256 6.1.4. Twenty questions __________ 259 6.1.5. Chronology _______________ 260 6.1.6. Parenting plan ____________ 261 6.1.7. Researching your case ____ 263 6.1.8. Case theory_______________ 265 6.1.9. Your file ___________________ 266 6.1.10. Your bundle _______________ 266 6.2. Applications _______________________ 273 6.2.1. Do you qualify? ___________ 273 6.2.2. General advice ___________ 273 6.2.3. Filling out the forms ________ 274 6.2.4. Filling out Form C100 _______ 275 6.2.5. Filling out Form C1A _______ 277 6.2.6. Filling out Form C2 _________ 279 6.2.7. Serving the application ____ 279 6.2.8. Ex parte applications ______ 282 6.2.9. Who should be informed___ 282 CHAPTER 7: EVIDENCE __________286 7.1. Types of Evidence __________________ 286 7.2. Your Evidence______________________ 287 7.2.1. Position statement _________ 287 7.2.2. Affidavits & statements ____ 292 7.2.3. Exchanging statements ____ 294 7.2.4. Documentary evidence ___ 295 7.3. Factual Evidence ___________________ 297 7.3.1. Hair strand tests ____________ 297 7.3.2. DNA tests__________________ 298 7.3.3. Recorded evidence _______ 301 7.3.4. Email, texts & Facebook____ 302 7.4. Non-Factual Evidence ______________ 302 7.4.1. Section 7 reports ___________ 302 7.4.2. The s.7 template ___________ 304 7.4.3. Analysis & recommendations310 7.4.4. Calling witnesses___________ 310 7.4.5. Expert witnesses ___________ 311 7.4.6. Psychological evaluation __ 316 7.5. Cases ______________________________ 321 CHAPTER 8: THE COURT _________ 322 8.1. Different Levels of Court _____________ 322 8.2. Court Rules _________________________ 324 8.3. Court Fees __________________________ 325 8.4. Judges _____________________________ 327 8.4.1. 'RQWEHLQWLPLGDWHG_______ 327 8.4.2. Striking out ________________ 329 8.4.3. Judicial discretion _________ 330 8.4.4. The slip rule ________________ 331 8.4.5. Changing your judge ______ 332 8.5. CAFCASS ___________________________ 333 8.5.1. What you need to know ___ 335 8.5.2. CAFCASS and delay _______ 335 8.5.3. Shared parenting __________ 337 8.5.4. Interviews _________________ 338 8.5.5. 7KHGDGV&9______________ 340 8.5.6. Making a complaint _______ 340 8.5.7. The bottom line ____________ 342 8.5.8. NYAS _____________________ 343 8.6. Accessing your Court File ___________ 344 8.7. Accessing Data ____________________ 345 8.8. Court Secrecy _____________________ 347 8.8.1. Hear no evil_______________ 347 8.8.2. See no evil________________ 350 8.8.3. Speak no evil _____________ 357 8.8.4. Other prohibitions _________ 359 8.8.5. Discussion ________________ 360 8.8.6. Justifying secrecy _________ 361 8.8.7. A false dawn _____________ 362 8.8.8. Access by the media______ 363 8.8.9. Confidence trick __________ 364 8.9. Cases _____________________________ 367 CHAPTER 9: PROCEDURE ________ 368 9.1. Basic Stuff__________________________ 368 9.1.1. Tips before court __________ 368 9.1.2. Tips in court _______________ 369 9.1.3. Dressing for court _________ 370 9.1.4. Addressing the court ______ 371 9.1.5. What the court expects ___ 371 9.1.6. Failure to attend __________ 371 9.2. The justice process _________________ 372 9.2.1. Mediation ________________ 373 9.2.2. Schedule 2 letters _________ 376 9.2.3. Arriving at court ___________ 378 9.2.4. The courtroom ____________ 379 9.2.5. The FHDRA________________ 379 9.2.6. Directions order ___________ 381 9.2.7. Issues Resolution Hearing __ 383 9.2.8. Full hearing _______________ 384 9.2.9. Presenting your case ______ 384 9.2.10. Responding_______________ 386 9.2.11. Examining witnesses _______ 387 5 CONTENTS Return to CONTENTS Glossary9.2.12. Cross examination _________ 387 9.2.13. Child witnesses ____________ 389 9.2.14. Challenging an expert_____ 389 9.3. Appeals ___________________________ 392 9.3.7. Appealing a decision______ 392 9.3.8. Procedure ________________ 394 9.3.9. Human Rights Act _________ 397 9.3.10. The ECHR _________________ 398 9.4. Cases______________________________ 401 CHAPTER 10: ALLEGATIONS ______402 10.1. False Allegations ___________________ 402 10.1.1. Characteristics & effect____ 402 10.1.2. How the courts respond ___ 404 10.1.3. How you should respond___ 405 10.1.4. Comment by F4J __________ 407 10.2. Finding of Fact _____________________ 408 10.2.1. Allegations ________________ 408 10.2.2. How the court decides ____ 408 10.2.3. Split hearings ______________ 409 10.2.4. Cutting corners____________ 410 10.2.5. Requesting a finding of fact 411 10.2.6. Scott Schedules ___________ 411 10.2.7. Determining the truth ______ 412 10.2.8. The outcome______________ 415 10.2.9. Risk assessments ___________ 416 10.3. Domestic Violence _________________ 418 10.3.1. Definition _________________ 418 10.3.2. The feminist paradigm _____ 419 10.3.3. Sturge & Glaser ___________ 424 10.3.4. (YHU\ERG\VEXVLQHVV ______ 426 10.3.5. Neglect & child abuse _____ 428 10.3.6. Escaping DV ______________ 430 10.3.7. Witnessing DV _____________ 432 10.3.8. CAFCASS & DV ____________ 433 10.4. Cases ______________________________ 436 CHAPTER 11: VOICE OF THE CHILD 437 11.1. Ensuring your Child is Heard _________ 437 11.1.1. The dilemma ______________ 437 11.1.2. The voice of the child ______ 438 11.1.3. Needs, wishes & feelings ___ 440 11.1.4. &KLOGUHQVJXDUGLDQs _______ 441 11.1.5. &KLOGUHQVVROLFLWRUV_________ 445 11.1.6. Litigation Friends ___________ 446 11.1.7. Case study ________________ 447 11.2. Interviewing children ________________ 448 11.3. Parental Alienation__________________ 451 11.3.1. Richard Gardner___________ 451 11.3.2. Alienating children_________ 453 11.3.3. Recognising alienation _____ 456 11.3.4. The courts & alienation_____ 457 11.3.5. Coping with alienation _____ 461 11.4. Cases ______________________________ 463 CHAPTER 12: OBSTACLES________ 464 12.1. Injunctions__________________________ 464 12.1.1. Harassment allegations ____ 464 12.1.2. Non-molestation orders ____ 466 12.1.3. Occupation orders ________ 469 12.1.4. Go orders _________________ 471 12.1.5. Section 91(14) orders_______ 472 12.1.6. Undertakings ______________ 476 12.2. Obstructions ________________________ 476 12.2.1. Refusal to hand over _______ 476 12.2.2. Blocking overnight stays____ 480 12.2.3. You are controlling ________ 483 12.2.4. You are controlled _________ 483 12.2.5. Misrepresenting orders _____ 484 12.2.6. Refusal to obey the Court _ 484 12.2.7. The CS argument _________ 485 12.2.8. Sending in the police ______ 485 12.2.9. 6ROLFLWRUVOHWWHUV ___________ 486 12.2.10. Dirty tricks_________________ 487 12.2.11. Misleading the Court ______ 489 12.2.12. Failure to contact you _____ 490 12.3. Psychological Disorders ____________ 490 12.3.1. Introduction ______________ 490 12.4.2. Implacable hostility _______ 491 12.4.3. Postnatal depression ______ 492 12.4.4. Personality disorders _______ 493 12.4.5. Adjustment disorder _______ 494 12.4.6. $VSHUJHUV6\QGURPH______ 495 12.4.7. General advice ___________ 497 12.4. Cases _____________________________ 498 CHAPTER 13: ENFORCEMENT _____ 499 13.1. The Old Situation ___________________ 499 13.1.1. The problem ______________ 499 13.1.2. Penal notices _____________ 501 13.2. The 2006 Act _______________________ 502 13.2.1. Warning notices __________ 502 13.2.2. Contact activities _________ 503 13.2.3. PIPs ______________________ 504 13.2.4. Enforcement______________ 505 13.2.5. Compensation____________ 506 13.2.6. The role of CAFCASS ______ 507 13.2.7. Filling out Form C78 _______ 509 13.2.8. Filling out Form C79 _______ 510 13.3. Cases _____________________________ 513 6 CONTENTS Return to CONTENTS GlossaryCHAPTER 14: RELOCATION _______514 14.1. Definitions __________________________ 514 14.1.1. Habitual residence ________ 515 14.1.2. Settled ____________________ 516 14.1.3. Abduction ________________ 516 14.2. Internal Relocation _________________ 516 14.2.1. Legal precedents _________ 516 14.2.2. Prevention ________________ 518 14.3. External Relocation _________________ 519 14.3.1. Consequences ____________ 519 14.3.2. Poel & Payne _____________ 520 14.3.3. Challenging Payne ________ 524 14.3.4. Prevention ________________ 530 14.3.5. The role of CAFCASS_______ 535 14.3.6. Unmarried fathers _________ 537 14.3.7. If removal is allowed _______ 537 14.4. Abduction _________________________ 540 14.4.1. Prevention ________________ 541 14.4.2. If your child is abducted ___ 544 14.4.3. Locating a child ___________ 548 14.4.4. On the return of a child ____ 549 14.5. Hague Convention Cases ___________ 551 14.6. Advice to foreign fathers ____________ 553 14.6.1. Case study: Cannon_______ 554 14.7. Cases______________________________ 558 CHAPTER 15: SCOTTISH LAW______559 15.1. Relocation, Relocation ______________ 559 15.1.1. Advantages ______________ 559 15.2. Preventing Removal ________________ 561 15.3. Scottish Legislation _________________ 562 15.3.1. General __________________ 562 15.3.2. Responsibilities & rights _____ 562 15.3.3. Openness _________________ 563 15.3.4. The welfare principle_______ 564 15.3.5. Section 11 orders __________ 564 15.3.6. The views of the child ______ 565 15.3.7. Exclusion orders____________ 566 15.4. Taking your Case to Scotland________ 566 15.4.1. The levels of court _________ 566 15.4.2. Representing yourself ______ 567 15.4.3. Enforcing an order _________ 567 15.4.4. Making an application _____ 567 15.4.5. The options hearing ________ 568 15.4.6. The welfare report _________ 569 CHAPTER 16: PUBLIC LAW _______ 570 16.1. Care _______________________________ 571 16.1.1. What is care?______________ 571 16.1.2. The duty of the SS __________ 572 16.1.3. Section 37 reports__________ 573 16.1.4. Section 47 reports__________ 573 16.1.5. Care & supervision _________ 574 16.1.6. Threshold criteria __________ 575 16.1.7. Powers of the SS ___________ 578 16.2. Keeping your Children ______________ 580 16.2.1. The case conference ______ 580 16.2.2. Your rights _________________ 582 16.2.3.