Recently I have had the displeasure of being caught up in Family Court Proceedings. Not to go too into it however I had in the beginning to present as a Litigant in Person. The other party had finances that allowed for representation.

If you are a LiP and the other side is represented, they are then charged with drawing up the court orders and they usually lead in speaking before the lay judge or magistrate.

You would believe that , especially when dealing with a child under the Children's Act 1989 that there would be some ,moral or lawful compulsion to set aside a win for what is best for the child. Not so. I have experienced discrimination, blind disregards of the facts. Forceful implementing of the court order in my respects but a lackadaisical response to the money side. For me a court order is not worth the paper it's written on when it can be used with such disparities.

There have been very strict guidelines from The President of the Family Division RT Hon Andrew McFarlane's speech June 2019 with regards the drafting of Court Orders, but they are not being followed at all.

https://www.judiciary.uk/announcements/president-of-the-family-division-drafting-orders/

If you have been an LiP you may have experienced this and when you have tried to address the issue been met with such stoic adversity you have been forced into silence. You may have even openly been laughed at. 

I have seen the other party not engage with me with regards the draft, omit key information from the order which would further their clients position in court.Use inflammatory and grossly misleading and misrepresenting language to paint an image of a person, and introducing own comments which were never spoken in court.

We are powerless to this and it need to change.

Ours and our children's rights to being safeguarded are being contravened in lieu of court times, and monies.

Please sign this petition so this folly can be brought to the attention of those that will make solid change. 

There needs to be a rule set, that within family proceedings

 mandatory fact finding is a must, if there are no physical evidence then a chat with the judge.

Where there is an LiP and the other party is represented that funds be made available for representation via legal aid.

And that the other party Barristers should not be involved in drawing up the orders.

Domestic, family or couple abuse along with hate crime is not to be dismissed, or overlooked.

I may add to this petition and welcome comments and contact from anyone who has been affected by these issues

 

Our children are being used as pawns by an institution which has set itself behind closed doors to speak and represent an impartial look at a situation. If you have money and connections this can all be bypassed.