Law and Rights
Re K and H (Children: unrepresented father: cross-examination of child [2015] EWFC 1 is an important family court decision. His Honour Judge Bellamy (sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge) has held that Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) must pay for a father's legal representation given that the father is alleged to have sexually abused his daughter referred to as Y. There is a need in the case to establish - as a question of fact -whether the allegations against the father are proved. In order to do that Y must give evidence and be cross-examined and it is in relation to the cross-examination that the father requires legal representation. It should be noted that the father does not actually seek to cross-examine Y himself but has sought and been denied legal representation to do so. This judgment merits careful reading in full.
Whether the Ministry of Justice will seek to use taxpayer's funds to appeal this remains to be seen. It certainly seems ironic that the Lord Chancellor briefs a Queen's Counsel to argue that a litigant in person should not have legal aid but the denial of legal aid is an unjust consequence of the cuts imposed by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. However, as a reading of the judgment shows, the court is itself a public authority and under a Human Rights Act duty to ensure a fair trial of the case.
Of course this is not a criminal case but the allegations against the father are clearly serious. In a criminal case, the accused is now prevented from personally cross-examining the complainant of a sexual offence - Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 s.34
Related post: October 2014 - Family Court and (lack of) legal aid
See also Q v Q [2014] EWFC 31
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Law and Rights
Lack of legal aid for a father in the family court ...
Whether the Ministry of Justice will seek to use taxpayer's funds to appeal this remains to be seen. It certainly seems ironic that the Lord Chancellor briefs a Queen's Counsel to argue that a litigant in person should not have legal aid but the denial of legal aid is an unjust consequence of the cuts imposed by the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. However, as a reading of the judgment shows, the court is itself a public authority and under a Human Rights Act duty to ensure a fair trial of the case.
Of course this is not a criminal case but the allegations against the father are clearly serious. In a criminal case, the accused is now prevented from personally cross-examining the complainant of a sexual offence - Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 s.34
Related post: October 2014 - Family Court and (lack of) legal aid
See also Q v Q [2014] EWFC 31
- What Does A Paternity Determination Mean?
What Does a Paternity Determination Mean? Determining paternity means determining the identify of the biological father of a specific child for purposes of the law. It is a process that decides who fathered the child and should therefore be financially...
- Dwyane Wade Waits For Child Custody Ruling
On behalf of Edwards & Associates posted in Father's Rights on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Dwyane Wade, perhaps best known for his performance on the court for the Miami Heat, has been spending a significant amount of time in a court of law in order...
- Mother Arrested After Defying Child Custody Order
Mother Arrested After Defying Child Custody Order On behalf of Edwards & Associates posted in Custody on Tuesday, November 9, 2010 A mother had lost custody over her 1-year-old daughter. She was ordered to turn the baby girl over to the child's father....
- Child Abuse ~ Children's Commissioner ~ Standards Of Proof In Sharp Contrast
The Guardian 25th January reported the views of Anne Longfield (The Children's Commissioner for England and Wales) as expressed in a brief interview on BBC Radio TODAY programme - Call to review the Burden of Proof in child sex abuse cases. Given...
- Family Court And (lack Of) Legal Aid
Sir James Munby PGovernment 'washing its hands' of legal aid problem for vulnerable parents - Owen Bowcott - The Guardian 31st October 2014 The legal aid regime currently in place for "public law" family cases has this, to say the least, highly...