Family Courts not back to normal business until Spring 2021
The President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, has published a family court roadmap, spanning the next 6 months.
On the 9th of June 2020, he issued a warning that the normal working environment is unlikely to return until spring next year and stated the bulk of the work would need to be done remotely.
He also praised the positive “can do” approach from the family court.
Other points included:
- Courts should inform parties which remote platform is to be used at least three days before the hearing.
- Zoom cannot currently be supported by the judiciary or HMCTS.
- The cloud video platform is being introduced to family court centres starting this week.
- Judges can use Microsoft Teams.
- Consideration should be given to arranging lay parties to engage in a hearing from a solicitor’s office or barrister’s chambers.