Cases Archive

The family lived in France. The mother (who was English) returned to England with the child with the father’s consent. The mother and father issued proceedings in England and France respectively — the question for determination was: which country was seised of the matter? Consideration was given as to which country was best placed to determine welfare issues

Nullity petition: application to determine whether an Islamic wedding ceremony took place and, if so, its legal effect in English law (if any). Held: (1) that there was a ceremony; but (2) this was a non-marriage and not a void marriage. Nullity petition dismissed.

Appeal against findings of fact made in care proceedings. Appeal dismissed.

Fact-finding hearing in care proceedings involving a Nigerian child, where the parties claiming to be her parents were found not to be.

Care proceedings – Unfavourable viability assessment of grandmother – Grandmother not served with a copy and out of the country at the time – Whether she should have been granted party status in order to challenge the assessment.

Appeal against a Placement Order on the basis that it was argued that a Special Guardianship Order should have been made. Appeal dismissed.

Appeal against a circuit judge’s refusal in care proceedings to grant permission to a grandmother to apply for a Residence Order, the parents’ application to be assessed jointly and the grandmother’s application to be assessed by an independent social worker. Appeal allowed.

First case where successive orders for committal were made against abducting father. The 3-year-old girl was abducted to the father’s family in Pakistan. Child returned at Christmas 2012 when aged 6 years old.