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@dominiccooper This is one of the best demonstrations of the failings of the legal profession. You, like what appears to be a majority of those in your ‘profession’ turn discussions like this into a ‘my manhood is bigger than yours’. You make patronising assumptions that attempt to justify the very outdated concept of ‘justice is in the eye of the beholder’ that is used routinely in the Law Society, Criminal Bar and legal profession narrative.

Did I lose? No I have in total 7 contact orders (inc 2 COA), I defended 11 separate false criminal allegations, 3 other civil cases including beating a top 5 London firm in insolvency proceeding’s in the High Court all as an LiP. Proceedings are not over in some matters and certainly there will be a shock result to come hence my anonymous posts. I achieved all this after £60K of legal bills that had achieved ZERO. However the loser in this is my two gorgeous children who do not have a father in their lives because a Circuit Judge didn’t have the balls or moral substance to enforce a single order and a mother who puts her own feelings before our children. Munby recently said that unless judges are willing to enforce orders they should not be making them, I would add that any judge who does not enforce an order is in contempt of court. He should live and die by the law and oath he made.

Lock her up? hell no, this despite me being subject to an entirely unlawful imprisonment being deemed acceptable; this argument that enforcement requires locking up just shows the entire lack of imagination and credibility of the UK family courts and legal profession. There is nothing that my ex would hate more than me having access to my children, so I have the kids and she does something suitably menial but useful to society. Letting her off with a holiday at her majesty’s pleasure serves no one let alone our kids or justice. This is the point about enforcement that lawyers always make, separating a mother from her children is not acceptable, yet the family courts does this on a daily basis to fathers. Let’s not forget the welfare of a child is served by both parents remaining engaged lots of research but Dr Richard Warshack is a good start as its peer reviewed and backed by 110 world authorities.

@TimothyHawkins these views have been formed after several years in litigation of several genres, I am glad that you’re sad but these are reality but I hope that you will do something about it if you think I have a point.

Frankly I’m glad judges have a hard time, however this is what I mean about judicial appointments that a judge is not a judge because he is wise he is a judge because his friends put him there. The current selection criteria for a High Court Judge is 7 years of practice and now reduced referencing from four to just two; only one of which is from a judge. Given the propensity for judges and lawyers working, drinking and socialising together via local groups this system is wholly corrupted for no other reason than we are all human. I read a great quote yesterday ‘knowledge is knowing tomatoes are a fruit, wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad’, just because you have knowledge or friends for that matter does not make you a good judge.

Statistics, these are derived from FOI requests to every UK Police force by a colleague, the point they make is it remains that mothers are routinely given the majority of care and custody, yet the statistical evidence does not support the position. For example NSPCC statistics show that in the 10 years up to 2006 800 children were killed by their mothers but just 29 by fathers, therefore the level of scrutiny of fathers (something absent from mothers on basis they have possession) in the family courts is wholly misplaced as a child in sole care of mother is 27 times more likely to die. This is why I make the point earlier about outcomes, the failure of the recording and monitoring of outcomes by the Courts or Cafcass means that there is no credibility to the courts and any suggestion that they have just outcomes. We collect statistics in the health service on incidental data such as the weight of children so there is no argument to suggest why court outcomes should not be monitored, because children die from bad court decisions.

The easiest way to resolve the ‘getting one over brigade’ is a presumption of shared parenting and severe penalties for false allegations and legal aid fraud. This would reduce overnight family court cases by +/-80% however this is just what all lawyers fear and hence you’re campaigning against it and LiP’s, because it reduces your income.

I take the point that some may not be able to express themselves however in experience that is because of the environment and an outdated process, courts are intimidating places and judges, lawyers and barristers often behave in a way to attempt to intimidate. I’ve been on the receiving end, a barrister from a large chambers refused to shake my hand when I introduced myself, aside from being rude it was just part of the charade. There is one that I met who speaks in court like he came from somewhere with a thumb up his backside, however I observed him in a pub near the RCJ and he was ghetto personified. It is all BS, it’s unnecessary and damages what should be a highly professional job. The loss of legal aid has levelled the playing field as previously it was normally the father unrepresented and now both are in an equal position. Needless to say none of this needs to cost very much money to fix, not least a presumption of contact would probably save money and free up the courts.

Finally, and this is not particularly targeted at anyone here, what is clear there are a body of lawyers here and elsewhere do not like it when an educated worldly wise bunch of LiP’s take you on, on your turf. Shame really because if those doubters listened you might just learn something. I lay this challenge to Simon Hughes and any other lawyer or judge reading this I am certain Dave, Steve, the other Anon LiP’s and I here are happy to attend ANY event where this is discussed to see how we can improve outcomes and justice. Do you all have the balls I wonder? 

J