Family Procedure Rule Committee update

The Family Procedure Rule Committee has published details of its work in November and December 2008.

The committee met to give final consideration to the draft rules, practice directions and forms upon which it proposed to consult.

On 28 November the committee published Family Procedure Rules - an invitation to comment on the draft Rules, Practice Directions and Forms, seeking views from interested parties on its proposed changes.

The new rules are intended to improve significantly the procedural system for family justice. The procedures will be easier to use and understand, not just for courts and practitioners, but also for individuals involved in family proceedings. There will also be, for the first time, a single unified code of practice for family proceedings in the magistrates' courts, county court and the High Court.

The deadline for responses is 27 February 2009 and forms can be accessed by clicking here.