20 July 2020
Urgent Attention Of Children Order Panel Members/Family Law Practioner
LONDONDERRY FCC and LAGANSIDE FCC – cases listed for hearing during week commencing 3rd August 2020.
In advance of a Society communication to be issued
via E-nformer to all members of the profession containing updates from the
Office of the Lord Chief Justice, please note the information below which
relates particularly to Londonderry FCC and Laganside FCC giving cases listed
for review during week commencing 3rd August 2020.
Colleagues are advised to REGULARLY
monitor the Coronavirus section of the website of Judiciary NI - https://judiciaryni.uk/coronavirus-covid-19
and the Society's e-Newsletter - E-nformer.
* Please check
all court lists attached and identify cases that you are involved in.
* Forms
must also be completed setting out the reasons where the parties seek an
adjournment.
* Only
one form per case must be lodged which must be completed
collaboratively with the opposition representative/s.
* Issues
should be narrowed and electronic copies of documents referred to in the
FCI1 form attached.
* The
subject line for the email should be ‘FCC review’.
* During
the week of the 3rd August, the judge will review all forms and
determine the next steps. Please refer to ICOS for directions and hearings
will be notified directly.
* The
completed form for each case must be lodged in the relevant court
office by 24th July 2020.
Please note
that NIL RETURNS have been recorded for Craigavon and Dungannon.
Guidance issued by the Office of the Lord
Chief Justice on 12th and 22nd May set out plans for
administrative reviews of Family Care Centre (FCC) cases.
Separate,
more detailed guidance, should be consulted for Family Proceedings (all
tiers) and for Family Care Centre (FCC) Recovery - these are
reviewed and updated regularly.
The family
judge for each Family Care Centre has identified the cases which are to be
reviewed, and require you to lodge the requisite form for each case by
the return date given below. Forms must also be completed setting out the
reasons where the parties seek an adjournment.
Representatives
should identify their cases from the attached list, and collaboratively complete
and lodge Form FCI1 for each by email to the relevant
court office by 24th July 2020. It is essential that the forms are completed as
comprehensively as possible to narrow the issues to be determined by the judge.
It would assist the office staff and the judges if electronic copies of any documents
relied upon or referred to in the FCI1 form were attached to it on submission.
Email addresses for court offices can be found in Annex
A. The subject line of your email should state ‘FCC Review’.
During
week commencing 3rd August 2020, the judge will review the forms received, together with
any relevant documents lodged, and determine whether each matter can be dealt
with administratively or will require a hearing. Where the judge
determines a review hearing is required the parties will be notified of the
arrangements. Orders / Directions will be available via ICOS as normal.
Judges will
continue to hear urgent matters, those where the parties have agreed a way
forward, or those where the legal representative or a party to the proceedings
has requested a review / hearing and the judge considers it appropriate, where
the representatives have lodged forms clearly setting out the circumstances, as
per the Lord Chief Justice’s earlier guidance.
Any
queries regarding the administrative reviews should be directed to the relevant
court office.