HOME
INFO FOR COURT USERS
INFO FOR PROFESSIONALS
RESOURCES

Private children law

7/11/25 – President of the Family Division – The Use of Intermediaries, Lay Advocates and Cognitive Assessments in the Family Court

CLICK HERE

24/10/25 – President of the Family Division – Practice Guidance Changes of Name on a Child’s Birth Certificate

Amended 14/10/25 – PN1A of 2021- AMENDED PRACTICE NOTE IN RESPECT OF NEUTRAL EVALUATION HEARINGSDownload
18/8/25 – Re-Amended PN6A of 2021 – Re-amended Practice Note relating to section 7 reports, disclosure from local authorities and attendance of social workers in private law proceedings (002)Download

15/4/25 – A View from the President’s Chambers

click here

24/2/25 – Citation of Authorities: Judgements of Circuit Judges and District Judges

click here

February 2025 – Writing to Children: A Toolkit for Judges

click here

January 2025 – Family Justice Council Guidance on Neurodiversity in the Family Justice System for Practitioners

click here
27/2/24 – President of the Family Division – Disclosure of Information between Family and Criminal Agencies and Jurisdictions: 2024 Protocol
Annexes to the protocol can be found at the judiciary website – www.judiciary.uk Download
21/9/23 – PN8 of 2023 – Practice Note to deal with the provision of documents by the parties in both public and private law cases before the magistratesDownload
28/4/23 – PN1A – Amended Rule 16.4 Practice NoteDownload
10/6/22 – Family Justice Council – Assessment of competence of children guidanceDownload
10/6/22 – Family Justice Council – Interim guidance – Use of experts in cases with allegations of alienating behavioursDownload
5/5/22 – Fact Finding Hearings and Domestic Abuse in Private Law Children ProceedingsDownload
21/12/21 – PN11 of 2021 – Practice Note Police Disclosure to Litigants in PersonDownload
10/11/21 – President of the Family Division – President’s Memorandum: Witness StatementsDownload
10/11/21 – President of the Family Division – President’s Memorandum: Drafting OrdersDownload
9/11/21 – PN8 of 2021 – Practice Note relating to BundlesDownload

20/7/21 – Message from HHJ Parker, DFJ:

With effect from the week commencing 23rd August all FHDRAs in Vernon Street will revert to attended or in person hearings.

It remains open to an individual judge to direct a remote or hybrid hearing on any particular case for good reason if that is in the interests of justice and it is fair to do so.

Cafcass, in particular, are keen to recommence attended FHDRAs and they are already up and running in Chester, St Helens and Birkenhead.

Amended practice note issued 26/3/24 – PN6A of 2021 – Amended practice note relating to disclosure from local authorities in private law proceedingsDownload
5/2/21 – PN3 of 2021 – PRACTICE NOTE RELATING TO NON-MOLESTATION ORDERSDownload

8/1/21: URGENT APPLICATIONS – Message from HHJ Parker, DFJ for Cheshire and Merseyside:

An issue has arisen as to the interpretation of paragraph 3 of the Local Practice Direction relating to urgent family applications to the District and Circuit Bench on the Northern Circuit issued by the FDLJ on 5th November 2020.

For the avoidance of any doubt the requirement in paragraph 3 namely;

“Applicants for urgent orders will be required to justify on evidence why a case is said to meet the criteria for urgency.  

Applications must be accompanied by a statement which includes an explanation of why the case is said to meet the criteria for urgency,

and a draft of the order sought following the President’s standard format;”

DOES NOT REQUIRE that the statement must be in a separate document PROVIDED that the application itself contains the evidence required

to enable the gatekeeper or allocated judge to assess the degree of urgency.

If the application does not contain sufficient information and there is no accompanying statement then the application will simply be given a normal listing.

16/11/20 – PN1 of 2020 – Appointment of r16.4 Guardians Practice NoteDownload
16/11/20 – Attachment to PN1 of 2020 – Cafcass Key ContactsDownload
5/11/20 – Mr Justice MacDonald – Urgent Family Applications to the District and Circuit Bench on the Northern Circuit Practice Direction Download

Disclaimer: Nothing on this website constitutes legal advice and the inclusion of any other website or publication does not imply or mean an endorsement of the contents thereof. This website is maintained by legal professionals and whilst every effort is made to ensure it is kept up to date, users are advised to confirm that the links and documents provided are the most up to date versions.