The Single Family Court on Sky News

Earlier today I appeared on Sunrise, the Sky News morning show, to discuss the advent of a raft of changes to the family law system.

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I discussed the new single family court and how its introduction could reduce delay, something which is especially important in cases involving children. Other topics which cropped up included the abolition of legal aid, the introduction of compulsory mediation information  and assessment meetings (MIAMs), and the rise of unrepresented litigants in person.

I noted:

“The courts have got very clogged up with people who aren’t lawyers, who don’t know particularly what they are doing and are desperate for an adjudication – so something had to be done about it.”

I added:

“You don’t have to mediate – you have to attend a meeting to decide whether or not you are suitable for mediation-  and history tells us that most people aren’t suitable for mediation and they go to court”.

I do support mediation – but I support it at the right time, when people are focused and motivated in their participation.

“Today is actually a bit of a revolution”, I told Sky viewers.