Lessons to be learned after judge criticised for ‘obsolescent’ views

A family case has recently been the subject of an unusual level of attention from the media both legal and mainstream much of it reflecting badly upon the family justice system. I thought I should look at the case in particular the lessons that can or cannot be learned from it.

The case was JH v MF an appeal by a mother in child arrangement proceedings following findings by the judge in respect of abuse allegations made by the mother against the father.

Very briefly the background to the case was that the parents began their relationship in 2013 when the father was 23 and the mother just 17 years old. They have one child who was born in January 2015. In the course of the relationship the mother made a number of complaints of domestic abuse against the father. The relationship broke down and the parties finally separated in 2016 when the mother went to stay in a refuge taking the child with her.

Fact-finding

More than two years later in October 2018 the father applied for a...

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