Rule changes steer families towards non-court dispute resolution—The Law Gazette
Associate Evie Smyth has commented on the amendments to the Family Procedure Rules (FPR) in an article from the Law Gazette.
Under the new rules, which came into effect on 29 April 2024, parties are urged to engage in various models of mediation and non-court dispute resolution (NCDR) as a means of resolving matters. Whilst family lawyers welcome the introduction of the new rules, Evie emphasises that they serve as encouragement for parties to avoid court rather than a strict mandate. She highlights the exemption for cases involving domestic abuse and notes the revised terminology which encompasses a wider range of behaviours beyond physical violence.
[domestic abuse remains a significant exemption to a mediation information and assessment meeting, ] although the language has shifted away from the old language of 'domestic violence' to be consistent with the updated language of the Domestic Abuse Act.
The full article is available to read online on the Law Gazette.
Evie Smyth is an associate in the family and children team, advising on all areas of family law, including divorce and separation, financial settlements, child arrangements, cohabitation, domestic abuse and pre-nuptial & post-nuptial agreements.
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