District Judge Duncan Adam has set out in a recent 'Benchmarks' column (see [2005] Gazette, 20 October, 29) his explanation of the new way of tackling first-hearing dispute resolution appointments for Children Act applications.

There are some great advantages of this process, but I have observed that it has one specific side-effect - more parking tickets. In courts such as Bath or Yeovil, where the local car parks are pay and display, it is an increasing phenomenon to hear family lawyers cursing as their three or four hours of parking run out while the conciliation and discussion process continues at its own pace.


Janet Saxon, Harris & Harris, Wells, Somerset