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Stacey Dooley’s Fallen Women: The Domestic Abuse Deaths We Still Do Not Investigate Properly

Stacey Dooley’s new BBC documentary Fallen Women raises difficult questions about British women who died after falling from height, and whether domestic abuse, coercive control or violent relationships may have been overlooked. This article explains why these cases matter, what the law says about domestic abuse, and why safeguarding professionals, police, coroners and family courts must look at patterns, not isolated incidents.
June 24, 2026/by jessica susan hill

CPS Tells Prosecutors to Expose Patterns of Past Misconduct in Rape Trials

The CPS has updated its Rape and Serious Sexual Offences guidance, encouraging prosecutors to consider suspects’ past patterns of behaviour where legally admissible. This article explains what bad character evidence is, why the suspect-focused approach matters, and why patterns of abuse are important in both criminal and family court contexts.
June 24, 2026/by jessica susan hill

Raneem’s Law Expanded: Why Domestic Abuse Specialists in 999 Control Rooms Matter

Raneem’s Law is being expanded, with domestic abuse specialists embedded in 12 more 999 control rooms across England and Wales. This is a welcome safeguarding development, but the real test will be whether victims are heard earlier, risk is recognised properly, and police action changes before another family is failed.
June 24, 2026/by jessica susan hill

AI Has Helped Win a UK Court Case — But It Is Not the Story Some Headlines Suggest

Garfield AI’s reported court success is a genuine legal technology milestone — but not because AI replaced a lawyer in court. The real significance is more practical: regulated AI may help ordinary people and small businesses pursue claims that would otherwise be too expensive to bring. This article explains what the case really means, why it is not a binding legal precedent, and why family lawyers and litigants in person should pay close attention.
June 24, 2026/by jessica susan hill

Legal Tech Is Already Changing Family Law — Are Lawyers Ready?

Legal technology is no longer a future issue for family lawyers. AI is now appearing in court documents, legal research, client communications, digital evidence, practice management and the justice system itself. This article explains what family lawyers need to know now — the opportunities, the risks, the regulatory warnings and the practical steps firms should be taking before AI becomes a problem rather than a tool.
June 24, 2026/by jessica susan hill

The Government Finally Recognises Economic Abuse in Financial Remedy Cases – Could This Transform Family Justice?

The Government's new consultation, A Fairer End to Relationships, could mark a major turning point in family law. For the first time, ministers have explicitly recognised that domestic abuse and economic abuse can continue through the financial remedy process itself. From the controversial "gasp factor" to cohabitation rights and enforcement of financial orders, we examine what these proposals could mean for survivors, litigants in person and the future of family justice.
June 10, 2026/by jessica susan hill

If Victims Need Legal Advisers in Crown Court, Why Are Parents Still Facing Family Court Alone?

The Government has announced a £5 million pilot scheme to provide independent legal advisers for domestic abuse victims in Crown Court cases. While the move is welcome, many family court litigants continue to face complex proceedings without legal representation or meaningful support. What does this reform mean, and what lessons could family justice learn from it?
June 5, 2026/by jessica susan hill

Contact With Your Child Has Stopped: What to Do Before the Family Court Treats It as the New Normal

Has contact with your child suddenly stopped, or is an existing child arrangements order no longer being followed? This guide explains why delay can make a safe parent-child relationship harder to repair, what evidence the court will examine, when enforcement may be appropriate and how litigants in person can prepare a clear, child-focused case.
June 4, 2026/by jessica susan hill