New interim regulations related to domestic violence and evidence for legal aid

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Evidence is required to help secure legal aid funding for victims of domestic violence in private family proceedings. Interim changes are currently being introduced to regulations which relate to this evidence, pending a final decision by the Government (so there may be further changes). These interim regulations include:

  • The time limit for the validity of evidence related to domestic violence being increased from two years to five years (changed on 25th April 2016);
  • A new category, ‘Financial Abuse’ is added (changed on 25th April 2016);
  • Violent offenders orders are included as an accepted form of evidence (changed on 25th April 2016);
  • Female genital mutilation protection orders are included as an accepted form of evidence (being introduced on 16th May 2016).

Changes are introduced via regulation 2(2) and 3 of the Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 concerning evidence which must be provided to help secure civil legal aid funding where domestic violence is alleged. The wording for the new regulations are provided below:

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1), the evidence of domestic violence or risk of domestic violence must be provided in one or more of the following forms—

(a) a relevant unspent conviction for a domestic violence offence;

(b) a relevant police caution for a domestic violence offence given within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services;

(c) evidence of relevant criminal proceedings for a domestic violence offence which have not concluded;

(d) a relevant protective injunction which is in force or which was granted within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services;

(e) an undertaking given in England and Wales under section 46 or 63E of the Family Law Act 1996(2) (or given in Scotland or Northern Ireland in place of a protective injunction)—

(i) by the individual (“B”) with whom the applicant for civil legal services (“A”) was in a family relationship giving rise to the need for the civil legal services which are the subject of the application; and
(ii) within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services,

provided that a cross-undertaking was not given by A;

(ea) evidence that B is on relevant police bail for a domestic violence offence;

(eb) a relevant conviction for a domestic violence offence where B was convicted of that offence within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services;

(f) a letter from any person who is a member of a multi-agency risk assessment conference confirming that—

(i) A was referred to the conference as a victim of domestic violence; and

(ii) the conference has, within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services, put in place a plan to protect A from a risk of harm by B;

(g) a copy of a finding of fact, made in proceedings in the United Kingdom within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services, that there has been domestic violence by B giving rise to a risk of harm to A;

(h) a letter or report from a health professional who has access to the medical records of A confirming that that professional, or another health professional—

(i) has examined A in person within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal service; and

(ii) was satisfied following that examination that A had injuries or a condition consistent with those of a victim of domestic violence;

(i) a letter from a social services department in England or Wales (or its equivalent in Scotland or Northern Ireland) confirming that, within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application, A was assessed as being, or at risk of being, a victim of domestic violence by B (or a copy of that assessment);

(j) a letter or report from a domestic violence support organisation in the United Kingdom confirming—

(i) that within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services, A had been accommodated in a refuge;

(ii) the dates on which A was admitted to and, where relevant, left the refuge; and

(iii) that A was admitted to the refuge because of allegations by A of domestic violence;

(k) a letter or report from a domestic violence support organisation in the United Kingdom confirming—

(i) that A was, within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services, refused admission to a refuge, on account of there being insufficient accommodation available in the refuge; and
(ii) the date on which A was refused admission to the refuge;

(l) a letter or report from—

(i) the person to whom the referral described below was made;

(ii) the health professional who made the referral described below; or

(iii) a health professional who has access to the medical records of A,

confirming that there was, within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services, a referral by a health professional of A to a person who provides specialist support or assistance for victims of, or those at risk of, domestic violence;

(m) a relevant domestic violence protection notice issued under section 24 of the Crime and Security Act 2010(3), or a relevant domestic violence protection order made under section 28 of that Act, against B within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of the application for civil legal services;

(n) evidence of a relevant court order binding over B in connection with a domestic violence offence, which is in force or which was granted within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of application for civil legal services;

(o) evidence which the Director is satisfied demonstrates that A has been, or is at risk of being, the victim of domestic violence by B in the form of abuse which relates to financial matters, where that evidence dates within the sixty month period immediately preceding the date of, or is dated on the date of, the application for civil legal services.”.

 (3) In regulation 33(3) (definitions)(4), in the definition of “protective injunction”, after sub-paragraph (i) insert—

 “(j) a female genital mutilation protection order under paragraph 1 or 18 of Schedule 2 to the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003(5);

(k) a violent offender order within the meaning of section 98 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008(6);”.

 

 

Where have all the parents gone?

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The Chief Executive of Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service announced this week that litigants-in-person “have not actually increased the court budget or the demands on the court”.  Some have suggested more unrepresented people have not lengthened proceedings as a whole.

I thought I’d have a look at the actual statistics and contemplate what that means for child welfare. Continue reading Where have all the parents gone?

 

Survey for male victims of domestic violence – Please take part

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We’ve been asked to share details of a survey on for male victims of domestic violence and we’d be very grateful if you’d take part (your responses will be anonymous):

Evidencing Domestic Violence: Men, Legal Aid and family disputes Continue reading Survey for male victims of domestic violence – Please take part

 

The Growth in Applications for Non-Molestation Orders: Spotlight on the South of England

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Last week we published data for the Midlands and North West, received from a Freedom of Information Act request to the Ministry of Justice concerning non-molestation orders and applications made under civil legal aid. We suspected that applications might have increased since the introduction of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO). Such was the opinion of others we have spoken to.

The Act limited legal aid in private family law cases to ones where domestic violence was alleged. To provide a meaningful analysis, we’ve compared data between the first half of 2012 (before LASPO) and the first half of 2014 (after LASPO came into force in 2013).

Numbers for the Midlands and North West show a dramatic increase in applications in certain regions. Today we look at the South of England, and national statistics are provided below as a reminder of the national position. Continue reading The Growth in Applications for Non-Molestation Orders: Spotlight on the South of England

 

Non-Molestation Orders and Legal Aid – Time for Investigation

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In 2013 the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishments of Offenders Act (LAPSO), came into force. One area of law affected was private family work, with legal aid being cut with the exception of cases where domestic violence was alleged. There were concerns that this might prompt a rise in false allegations as a means to secure free legal representation. So has there been a stark increase in applications for non-molestation orders?

Last week, we received a copy of data from a Freedom of Information Act request to the Ministry of Justice on Civil Legal Aid and Applications for Non-Molestation Orders and have finally had a chance to ‘crunch’ the numbers.

There’s something odd about the Midlands Continue reading Non-Molestation Orders and Legal Aid – Time for Investigation

 

The End of the Human Rights Act? Be very afraid

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Yesterday, the Law Society expressed an intention to lobby the Government to reverse plans to abolish the Human Rights Act.

Some of the more right wing press would have you believe that the Human Rights Act is an evil, foisted upon us by Brussels. It’s purpose portrayed as allowing terrorists and would be terrorists to remain in the UK housed and fed at tax payer expense. Perhaps for 0.001% of people. For you, me, and everyone else, it protects (among other things) our right to a fair hearing, access to justice, a prohibition from torture, prohibition from slavery, a right to life, a right to privacy and family life. Why on earth would the Government have a problem with this? Continue reading The End of the Human Rights Act? Be very afraid

 

Legal aid cuts, litigants-in-person, and exceptional funding

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The court has been left with the unenviable task of finding solutions to the problem of cuts in legal aid. The court must act within the law, and while administering the law, meet its legal obligation to uphold an unrepresented party’s right to a fair hearing and respect for their family life. Continue reading Legal aid cuts, litigants-in-person, and exceptional funding