13 July Case Updates X and Y (Care Proceedings: Fact Finding: Death of a Child: Expert Evidence), Re [2025] EWFC 132 family court, 16. Criticism and Complaints, 06. Rules and Regulations, 11. Report Writing, 14. Changing your opinion, 13. Experts Discussions and Joint Statements, 15. Giving Oral Evidence, Neurologist This was a fact finding hearing into the death of a young child. The Judge found that the neurologist expert witness failed to discharge his duties as an expert witness to the family court.
13 January News Family Court reporting pilot to be extended nationally family court, Transparency, Financial Remedy Proceedings, 06. Rules and Regulations The Family Procedure Rule Committee has approved a proposal to roll-out the family court reporting pilot nationally, through changes to the Family Procedure Rules and new practice directions. The new reporting provisions will apply in all family courts in England and Wales from Monday 27 January 2025. The Transparency Reporting Pilot for Financial Remedy Proceedings will be rolled out nationally from 29 january 2025, having been extended until 29 January 2026.
30 April News EWI welcomes government action on unregulated expert witnesses family court, unregulated psychologist, Lord Bellamy, Family Procedure Rule Committee, 06. Rules and Regulations In a Parliamentary debate, Lord Bellamy, a Minister of Justice, noted the neeed for the Family Procedure Rule Comitttee to develop a solution to prevent unregulatd psychologists giving evidence in the Family Court.
15 February Case Updates The direction of a Single Joint Expert should be the default position in the Family Court Single joint expert, Family Law, family court, 09. Being instructed as a Single Joint Expert, 06. Rules and Regulations In BR v BR [2024] EWFC 11, Mr Justice Peel concludes that the direction of a Single Joint Expert is the default position in the Family Court and there is a high bar to persuade the court to give permission for two or more experts to be solely instructed.
5 July News Updated guidance on the use of Psychologists as Expert Witnesses in the family courts in England and Wales Psychology, family court, guidance, British Psychological Society, regulation, 06. Rules and Regulations Joint document by the Family Justice Council and the BPS provides a set of guidelines for how to instruct expert witnesses in family proceedings.
18 June Case Updates de Renee v Galbraith-Marten (Rev) [2022] EWFC 118 Procedure rules, family court, 06. Rules and Regulations “The perils of being instructed by a party without the court’s permission”
17 April News The importance of knowing, and complying with, the rules relating to the presentation of expert evidence Expert evidence, Compliance with court rules, Instruction from solicitor, Courtroom evidence, family court, 06. Rules and Regulations, 08. Working with Instructing Parties, 15. Giving Oral Evidence The judgement in a recent case highlights issues not only relating to the behaviour of an expert but also in regard to considerations the instructing parties must make, namely: to ensure that the expert is an appropriate expert, to instruct them properly and to ensure that the report answers the questions posed and is compliant with the rules and practice directions.
24 November News Medical Experts in the Family Courts family court, Family Procedure Rule Committee, 16. Criticism and Complaints, 11. Report Writing, 15. Giving Oral Evidence EWI welcomes the final report and recommendations from the Family Division’s working group on Medical Experts in the Family Courts but raises continued concern about how these recommendations will be delivered.