The AG Dominic Grieve promised at the recent meeting of the Family Bar (which I have notably failed to blog about *slaps own wrist*) that he would read and personally respond to all our letters about legal aid. Before putting them in the bin. Today’s Times reports that he “is to intervene in the controversy over cuts to family justice, warning fellow ministers that the courts would become clogged with DIY litigants (Frances Gibb writes). Dominic Grieve QC is concerned that proposals in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill to remove legal aid from family disputes arising from divorce will put the courts under further strain and delay cases involving children. He is to write to Kenneth Clarke, the Justice Secretary, outlining his concerns.”
Let us hope that Ken has promised to read all of Dominic’s letters. Before putting them in the bin.
Ref the comment
‘that the courts would become clogged with DIY litigants (Frances Gibb writes)’
Down here in kiwi land where we have many of the same sorts of issues the real cloggers of courts are often the people who get legal aid, especially where the Mum is in receipt of legal aid and doing all that she can to stop the Dad getting contact. Appropriately advised a self litigant can make excellent time through the court my ‘record’ is protection order to shared care in 7 weeks. I guess in the UK they should read your book Family Courts without a lawyer. NZ’ers should get The Separating Father’s Guide.
Regards
Ken Maclaren