Family Law

The High Court has ruled that a child must be returned to Poland after she was taken to Ireland by her mother in August 2021. The father had made an application under the Child Abduction Regulations, claiming that he had no knowledge that his child had been removed from Poland. Delivering judgment i

Midlands firm J.D. Scanlon & Co has announced the appointment of Hilary Cahalan as a solicitor. The general practice law firm now employs eight solicitors and a total of 20 staff.

Belfast-based MKB Law has announced the appointment of Emma Jamison to the position of associate director within the family law department. Ms Jamison joins Anne Marie Kelly, head of the department and one of the founding partners of the firm, alongside colleagues Aine Toner, associate director, and

Northern Ireland's High Court has rejected the most recent claim in a long-running dispute, relating to custody of a 10-year-old boy. The court found that the father had an "inability to prioritise his son’s welfare over his own obsession", and his claims that video call contact was “ter

Two lawyers with P.A. Duffy & Co Solicitors have been recognised as accredited specialist family lawyers with Reunite International. Conal McGarrity and Carla Fraser, both based in the all-island firm's Belfast office, have been recognised for their experience dealing with international children

Northern Ireland’s High Court has set aside a child return order, which the judge previously granted, after new evidence of the father’s behaviour was brought to light. The court found that the father, living in France, had been involved in continuing and escalating threatening behaviour

Northern Ireland’s High Court has rejected an appeal for contact where it was found that a step-father was not acting in the best interests of a 15-year-old girl. The court noted that the father had initiated contact with the girl, had discussed inappropriate topics, and had abducted the girl

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal where a father claimed that a contact order for his children was "unworkable" and costly. The court found that the trial judge had not erred in making the order. This case involved three appeals, which are part of a long-running family

The new dedicated family courts complex at Hammond Lane should be completed as quickly as possible to help address the shortage of courthouses in Dublin, the Oireachtas justice committee has said. In a new report on courts and courthouses, the committee also called for upgrades to Naas courthouse an

The High Court has held that children who were wrongfully abducted by their mother must be returned to their father in England. In reaching this decision, the court held that the mother had provided insufficient evidence to establish a grave risk to the children or to conclude that they would be in

The High Court has criticised the Child and Family Agency for a “litany of failings” in the management of a foster care placement for a child and refused to grant an order for adoption. The application was brought by the CFA as the child had been in foster care for nearly 18 years. Howev

Northern Ireland's High Court has upheld the refusal of a parental order for a "vindictive" father who called police on the mother of his 11-year-old son under false pretences. The court found that a County Court judge was right to refuse the application for a parental responsibility order and a dir

Divorcing couples in England will be provided with £500 mediation vouchers to help them resolve disputes away from court. The scheme was originally launched on a trial basis last March and has already seen 8,400 vouchers issued to divorcing couples. An additional £5.4 million in funding

Parental alienation is being "increasingly cited in the Irish courts" despite the lack of a clear agreed definition, justice minister Helen McEntee said as she launched a new consultation on the issue. The Department of Justice last year commissioned research into parental alienation which is still

Family lawyer Aidan Reynolds has been appointed as a partner at Keith Walsh Solicitors in Dublin. Mr Reynolds was the longest-serving partner at family law firm Gallagher Shatter, which dissolved on Saturday. He joined the firm in September 1988 and became a partner in October 1991.