My Time on the Family Procedure Rule Committee
[2026] 3 FRJ 240. The Vice Chair of the FRJ Editorial Board talks about his six years as a barrister member of the Family Procedure Rule Committee.
Family Procedure Rules
Bundle of Joy: New Practice Direction on Bundles, Position Statements etc., Effective 2 March 2026
Practice Guidance Update No. 6 of 2025 contains amendments to a range of existing FPR PDs, including a comprehensive re-writing of PD 27A, which started life as the ‘Bundles Direction’.
Civil Law with Family Characteristics
The family courts – and the family lawyers who practise in them – have faced criticism for applying the general law of property inconsistently with the other divisions. This article explores the reality that, whilst the law is the same, case management in the family courts is indeed different.
Two Heads, Better than One? BR v BR, in Light of BR v BR (No 2) and Vince v Vince
In his judgment in BR v BR [2024] EWFC 11, [2024] 2 FLR 217, Peel J emphasised at [17](i) that ‘[w]herever possible’ the instruction of a single joint expert (SJE) is the ‘default position’ and at [17](ii) that a ‘high degree of justification’ is required for two
D(R) Day: Today’s Changes to FPR Parts 3 and 28
FPR Part 3 has historically been underused. This is strange given that:
1. FPR 1.4(1) provides that the court ‘must further the overriding objective by actively managing cases’; and
2. FPR 1.4(2)(f) states that active case management includes ‘encouraging the parties to use a non-court
KFK v DQD [2024] EWFC 78 (B)
Judgment date: 03 April 2024
https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewfc/b/2024/78
Recorder Rhys Taylor. Modest asset needs case. Issues in the case: add-back, adverse inference, beneficial interests, dishonesty, family loans and resources, nature of business assets (income vs capital resource), non-disclosure, presumption of advancement, treatment of debts,
Re X (Financial Remedy: Non-Court Dispute Resolution) [2024] EWHC 538 (Fam)
Judgment date: 08 March 2024
https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Fam/2024/538.html
Knowles J; impact of Churchill on family proceedings. Incoming changes to FPR from 29 April 2024 will enable court to adjourn proceedings for ADR with potential costs consequences for non-engagement.
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