No 18 Chambers

11/06/2026

*Stop Press: Cheshire West Judgment and Acid Test Overruled*

As a brief synopsis, this case is a reference by the Attorney General in Northern Ireland to the UK Supreme Court and this is decision is therefore binding on us in England and Wales. The reasons behind the case being brought are that the Minister in NI wished to put into practice a revised Code in relation to DOL applications that could take into account a person’s expressed wishes and feelings to be used to all extents and purposes as their valid consent.

Sarah Barber looks at this important case:

As a brief synopsis, this case is a reference by the Attorney General in Northern Ireland to the UK Supreme Court and this is decision is therefore binding on us in England and Wales. The reasons behind the case being brought are that the Minister in NI wished to put into practice a revised Code in....

10/06/2026

*Jurisdictional guidance for Remote Participation*

Updated remote participation guidance for the Civil and Family courts, and the Tribunal jurisdictions has now been published. Updated guidance for the criminal courts will be published separately in due course.

The judiciary, commissioned by the Lady Chief Justice and under the leadership of the Deputy Senior Presiding Judge, Lady Justice Yip, have been undertaking a cross-jurisdictional review of the use of remote participation in proceedings. Through this work, the Civil, Family and each of the tribunal jurisdictions have reviewed and refreshed their guidance on the use of remote participation ensuring there is proper consideration of access to justice and the interests of justice.

See further info via our website:

Updated remote participation guidance for the Civil and Family courts, and the Tribunal jurisdictions has now been published.

01/06/2026

In case you missed it....

*Update from Mr Justice Peel, Judge in Charge of the Standard Orders*

"A necessary amendment to Order 10.2 (short form non-molestation order) has been identified and drawn to my attention.
The order has been updated to include at the beginning the address and date of birth of the respondent to the application. These details are required for police database purposes.
I therefore attach (i) the updated order 10.2 and (ii) for completeness, the entirety of Volumes 1 and 2 of the Standard Orders on which no other changes have been made."

View all the order templates on our website:

The order has been updated to include at the beginning the address and date of birth of the respondent to the application. These details are required for police database purposes.

20/05/2026

*Re B [2026] EWFC 107: A time where AI has its use*

As the world is changing, as legal professionals, we have been told we need to get on board with AI. Having said that, it can have its misuses in the law. Judgments have been handed down recently with warnings of litigants in person, and at times, legal professionals, using AI to assist them in the proceedings, which in turn has led to erroneous information being put in front of the Court, such as case law which does not exist.

However, in the recent case of Re B [2026] EWFC 107, the Court has shown how in fact, in certain situations, AI can be extremely useful in our courts and in particular, the Family Courts.

Read Rachel Chapman's article on this judgment here:

As the world is changing, as legal professionals, we have been told we need to get on board with AI. Having said that, it can have its misuses in the law. Judgments have been handed down recently with warnings of litigants in person, and at times, legal professionals, using AI to assist them in the....

19/05/2026

Update from Mr Justice Peel, Judge in Charge of the Standard Orders

The Standard Orders were most recently updated in a release dated 21 May 2024. Since then, the Standard Orders Group has continued to monitor legal and procedural developments in family law. This release is intended to update both Volume 1 (Financial Remedies Orders) and Volume 2 (Children and Other orders).

The main updates are set out here:

The Standard Orders were most recently updated in a release dated 21 May 2024. Since then, the Standard Orders Group has continued to monitor legal and procedural developments in family law. This release is intended to update both Volume 1 (Financial Remedies Orders) and Volume 2 (Children and Other...

25/04/2026

No18 really enjoyed being part of Bournemouth & District Law Society (BDLS) dinner last night! What an evening for it!

23/04/2026

President’s Guidance on Allocation and Gatekeeping in respect of Proceedings relating to Children in the Family Court

The new Guidance applies to all proceedings relating to children issued in the Family Court, including proceedings issued pursuant to:
-the Children Act 1989
-the Family Law Act 1986
-the Family Law Act 1996
-the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008

Asher Shane explores this further in his article:

20/04/2026

Gary Fawcett looks at Loss of Parental Responsibility Re J, Re M & Re P - [2026] EWCA Civ 344

The citation refers to 3 cases, all concerned with parental responsibility, heard together over three days in the Court of Appeal.

The case considers the definition of 'father' for the purposes of CA 1989; biological father; and PR.

Read all about it here:

The citation refers to 3 cases, all concerned with parental responsibility, heard together over three days in the Court of Appeal.