HM Courts and Tribunal Service has issued a summary of family business priorities for County Courts during the coronavirus outbreak, which has been agreed with the President of the Family Division.
The priorities set out the work that:
- Must be done;
- Will be done; and
- “We will do our best to do”.
Family business priorities for County Courts during the coronavirus outbreak
Work that must be done
Emergency applications to protect children and adults is considered as work that must be dealt with. The list of orders this includes is as follows:
- Emergency Protection Orders
- Interim Care Orders
- Renewal of Interim Care Orders
- Secure Accommodation Orders
- Deprivation of Liberty authorisation
- Private Law Children – urgent applications
- Child Abduction Orders
- Domestic Abuse (Family Law Act) Injunctions
- Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage Protection Orders
- Divorce – urgent applications and decrees absolute
You will need to speak to your solicitor, as soon as possible, to see if your case falls into this category.
Work that will be done
The list of work that will be done by the Courts refers to gatekeeping and allocation referrals (for both care and private law proceedings) and other family care orders, documents and emails not specified above.
Work that “we will do our best to do”
This list of priorities refers to other family private law orders, documents and emails not previously mentioned, plus adoption orders, divorce and financial remedy.
Other points to consider
Applications which have been sent to Court already will be allocated to the appropriate level of judiciary with the required referrals being made, e.g. for safeguarding checks. They may or may not be listed for a hearing immediately. This will depend on Court priorities.
The Court have also issued guidance on digital working which means that some applications now have to be submitted in digital format rather than a paper application.
How Nelsons can help
Melanie Bridgen is a Partner in our Family Law team.
If you are being prevented from seeing your child, or you or your child may need protection from the other parent, this is something which we can help with at Nelsons.
Our specialist team of solicitors will be able to confirm whether your application falls within work that must be done, work that will be done or work that the Court will do its best to do.
If the Court are not likely to deal with the case, we can explore other viable alternatives, so you get the solution you need.
If you need advice on any children or family matter, please get in touch with Melanie or another member of our expert team in Derby, Leicester or Nottingham on 0800 024 1976 or via our online form.