Family Law

Many practitioners in children proceedings will find this new edition invaluable for their courtwork in 2018. There are twelve chapters and five appendices to cover the subject-matter after the decisions in M v V in 2010 and Delaney twenty years earlier in 1990. 

As the late Nicholas Wall says, the authors from IGC Family Law are all practising members of the Bar and “have produced a clear and useful book” which will be of help to a wide audience, according to Elizabeth Robson Taylor, of Richmond Green Chambers, and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers.

For many practitioners (possibly not so familiar with the detail in this area of child proceedings), Schedule 1 applications “provide an important way of ensuring children's financial needs are met where their parents are not married”. And, in 2018 we are now finding a position that more parents are unmarried than married for the first time in centuries. 

It is a fully updated text from the LexisNexis Family Law imprint originally part of Jordans in Bristol and we are delighted that the publishers continue to help us so assiduously in family publications. 

The title, “Applications under Schedule 1,” sets out with the purpose of giving us “a comprehensive guide to the practice, law and procedure in respect of Schedule 1 applications and includes relevant legislation, rules and case summaries plus sample forms and orders”. 

In fact, just exactly what we need, in short form for the busy barrister when time is never enough for prep in family matters. 

What LexisNexis bring us here remains essential reading for all family lawyers dealing with this rapidly developing area of law which is actually expanding as we write. The appendices make up almost half the book and weight a great deal less to carry around than the Red Book depending on your court case load. 

A sign of the times is the final paragraph of the book in chapter 12 dealing with the Law Commission’s final report in December 2016 on enforcement. Guess what: “the Government’s interim response in August 2017 welcomed the report and said it would give its recommendations full consideration”. 

And so, we will wait, and wait, and wait with the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel that reform is on the way. Meanwhile, we have this excellent statement on schedule 1 applications with great thanks to all at IGC Family Law for their work and advice. Indeed, as Janet Bazley QC writes, “you will find this volume an invaluable addition to your legal library”.