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Sir James Munby: an Obituary

Sir Nicholas Mostyn writes about the life of Sir James Munby, who died on 1 January 2026: "a great leader, a brilliant historian, a remarkable lawyer, and a superb writer".

PD 27A Redux: March 2026 Family Court Bundle Changes Primer

The President has promulgated a revised PD 27A which will come into force on 2 March 2026, designed to modernise the law and embed best practice into one chaptered Practice Direction. This article sets out the key changes practitioners and litigants should be aware of in family proceedings.

Oli Stanbridge

Oli Stanbridge is a trainee solicitor at Fladgate, due to qualify in September 2026.

Katie Tooley

Katie Tooley is an unregistered barrister currently working as a Family Paralegal at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP.

An End to Secrecy in Family Courts? Proposed Reforms of Contempt of Court Law That Could Lift the Threats to Sharing Information

It’s common knowledge that people involved in family court proceedings held in private are very restricted in what they can say about what’s happening. The confusing part is when someone might be in contempt of court just for talking or writing about their case, even when anonymised.

Julie Doughty

Julie Doughty is a retired senior lecturer in law who formerly practised as a solicitor and as a manager in Cafcass. She regularly reports on family court proceedings as a legal blogger for The Transparency Project.

VP v SP [2025] EWFC 447 (B)

Deputy District Judge Cassidy Hope. Judgment in financial remedy proceedings, addressing needs-based distribution where one party is the primary carer of a disabled adult child.

VP v SP [2025] EWFC 447 (B)

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/OJ/2025/447.html

RKV v JWC (No 2) [2025] EWFC 429 (B)

Wife is granted a costs order for legal costs on the indemnity basis due to the husband’s ‘complete and multi-faceted’ misconduct, namely deception and refusal to comply with court orders.

When Might an Arbitration Not Be Entirely Private and Confidential?

One of the great virtues of family law arbitration is its ability to provide the parties with confidentiality and privacy for their dispute. Unlike court proceedings, the parties will not face the risk of the hearing taking place in open court with curious members of the public present.

BM v MB and Others [2025] EWFC 129

Fiona Hay sitting as a Deputy High Court Judge. Final hearing. The key issues revolved around a business which H had inherited shortly before the parties began cohabiting but which had been transformed during the marriage, arguments concerning non-matrimonial property, and a s 37 application.

National Iranian Oil Company v Retirement, Savings and Welfare Fund of Oil Industry Workers v Crescent Gas Corporation Limited [2025] EWCA Civ 211 and Its Implications for TLATA Cases

The Court of Appeal confirms that a declaration of trust respecting land or any interest therein requires the personal signature of the settlor, not a third party on their behalf. This has implications where it is alleged a trust of land has arisen by virtue of an express declaration of trust.

RKV v JWC (No 2) [2025] EWFC 429 (B)

https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewfc/b/2025/429?query=RKV%20(Rhys)

RKV v JWC [2025] EWFC 430 (B)

https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewfc/b/2025/430?query=RKV%20(Rhys)