When Social Services become involved in a family's life, it can be an extremely distressing and confusing time for parents. In Northern Ireland, Care Orders are legal mechanisms that allow Social Services to intervene when a child is at risk of significant harm. It is crucial for parents to understand their rights and the legal process involved in Care Orders to effectively respond and protect their child’s future.

Domestic abuse is a multifaceted issue that extends beyond physical violence and includes perpetrators using a range of behaviours aimed at controlling, intimidating, and emotionally manipulating their victim.

  The new drama series from Netflix, ‘Baby Reindeer’ has become a talking point in most households since it was released on 11th April 2024, no more so than because the series, which deals with some very hard-hitting topics, is based on the true-life events of actor Richard Gadd who plays the main character Donnie.  The show is centred around Gadd's own personal ordeal of being stalked and experiencing sexual assault during his twenties.

  Our Family Law department have always been keenly aware of the importance of information sharing among professionals working within the area of family law and domestic abuse. 

  In an ongoing commitment to support victims of domestic violence, our Family Law Solicitors Claire Edgar and Emma Stratton have been providing training seminars with various organisations dedicated to supporting those affected by domestic abuse to include Women’s Aid and Assist NI.

  Being a parent brings with it many joys and rewards, though most parents would agree that with these rewards comes a lifetime of responsibility. It is the job of both parents of a child to ensure that this responsibility is taken seriously and exercised in the best interests of their children.

  On 15th February 2024, our Family Law Partner Claire Edgar presented a talk to the Law Society of Northern Ireland on the Civil and Criminal Court’s response to Domestic Abuse.

  On 23rd February 2024, our Family Law Partner Claire Edgar was invited by the NI Science Festival to take part in a panel discussion entitled ‘Where's the justice? The Impact of trauma insensitive systems’.

The Family Courts in Northern Ireland oversee and adjudicate upon cases which are brought by parents after relationship breakdown regarding care arrangements for their children. Here are some frequently asked questions about our Family Courts and how they work.

'Tis the season for twinkling lights, family gatherings and that undeniable feeling of togetherness. But the Christmas holidays can leave many who are navigating a separation uncertain as to when they will see their children over the festive period.

Many people associate the notion of stalking as something experienced only by those in the public eye and not by ordinary people in their ordinary lives.   However, according to the National Stalking Helpline, a large proportion of people who contact them are being stalked by people they have previously been in a relationship with, while a further one third will have had some prior acquaintance with their stalker.

Our Family Law Partner Claire Edgar was a guest presenter at this year’s European Conference on Domestic Violence in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Article 4 of the Children (NI) Order 1995 allows for the Family Courts in Northern Ireland to arrange for a ‘suitably qualified person to report to the Court on such matters relating to the welfare of a child’.   This suitably qualified person is known as the Court Children’s Officer and they can play a significant part in promoting a just and compassionate and child-centred approach to legal proceedings involving children. 

From 26th June 2023, a standalone offence of ‘Non-Fatal Strangulation’ came into force in Northern Ireland.  

Father’s Day is a celebration of fatherhood, paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in our lives. It’s a day when children lavish daddy with cards, gifts, hugs and kisses and where fathers celebrate both the joys and rewards of having children. 

The High Court of Northern Ireland recently handed down Judgment in the Judicial Review case of JR231. The Judgment explores the legal test to be applied by the Domestic Courts in determining whether to grant an ex parte Non-Molestation Order under the Family Homes and Domestic Violence (NI) Order 1998.

Coronation Street has addressed stalking behaviour and the impact it can have on victims in a recent storyline addressing the topic. 

Our Family Law partner Claire Edgar was a guest speaker at the Bar Council for Northern Ireland’s Conference on domestic abuse which took place on 23rd February 2023.

In October 2022, the High Court of Justice in NI considered the appeal process available to victims of domestic abuse if they are not granted emergency protection by the Domestic Proceedings Court.

Our Family Law Partner, Claire Edgar is appointed Chair of the Protection and Justice Working Group of the Belfast Area Domestic & Sexual Violence and Abuse Partnership.