Family Law

Funding has been secured to allow the proposed dedicated family courts complex at Hammond Lane to go ahead, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said. The project, on a site adjacent to the Four Courts, was originally announced in September 2015 following years of criticism from family lawyers that th

Lawyers have cautiously welcomed a commitment to family law reform in the draft Programme for Government agreed by Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party. The deal struck between the three parties after protracted talks includes the creation of a new dedicated family court within the exis

The Lord Chief Justice, Sir Declan Morgan, has warned against the "misuse" of remote courts technology following its use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sir Declan questioned the suitability of remote hearings in some areas of the law in recorded remarks for members of the Commonwealth Lawyers' Associ

The Bar Council of Ireland should be slapped with a €2 million bill and asked to pay market rent for the continued use of the Law Library building at the Four Courts or be evicted to make way for a family courts complex, a barrister has said. Eugenie Houston, a practising barrister "who is inde

The Law Society of Ireland's family and child law committee has updated its guidance on issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. The updated version of the guidance, which was first published in March, is now available from the Law Society website.

Concerns that parents could secretly record remote childcare hearings "must be weighed against the importance of cases continuing to be heard", a leading family lawyer has said. Speaking to Irish Legal News, solicitor Keith Walsh said he accepted that virtual hearings in the District Court "present

The High Court has refused the return of a child pursuant to Hague Convention on the grounds that it would place the child in an intolerable situation. Background

Family lawyer Keith Walsh has set out practical tips for solicitors attending remote hearings. The Dublin solicitor has been involved in a number of remote hearings, including some of the first divorce cases heard remotely in Dublin Circuit Court.

Hearings on breach of access and breach of maintenance for separated parents are expected to be treated as urgent matters by the District Court. Judge Colin Daly, president of the District Court, will make an announcement on the matter within the next day, according to RTÉ.

Concerns have been raised over the fairness of remote hearings in family cases, introduced during the lockdown, because of the difficulty for participants in reading each other's reactions. A rapid consultation carried out by the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory (NFJO) on the effectiveness of rem

Same-sex female couples will be recognised as the co-parents of children born through donor-assisted human reproduction under a legal framework finally brought into force. Health Minister Simon Harris yesterday confirmed that Part 2 and 3 of the related regulations in the Children and Family Relatio

Parents should feel "reassured" that the courts will consider the reasonableness of actions taken during the coronavirus pandemic when considering future child contact orders, Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. Northern Ireland's health and justice ministers today highlighted guidance from the Lo

Remote hearings should be introduced for family law cases that do not require cross-examination of witnesses, a prominent family lawyer has said. The president of the Circuit Court announced this week that all family law matters listed during the Easter term will be adjourned to a later date.

Children are allowed to move between parents' homes during the coronavirus pandemic to comply with access orders, according to new guidance for lawyers. The Law Society of Ireland, The Bar of Ireland and the Family Lawyers' Association yesterday jointly launched updated guidelines for access during

Cocaine use is "rampant" in cases coming before the family courts in Dublin, a solicitor has said. Family lawyer Sandra McAleer said cocaine is no longer a "rich man's drug" and is increasingly playing a role in domestic violence cases in particular.