Tag Archive for: PD12J

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This topic focuses on Practice Direction 12J and its application in private law children cases involving allegations of domestic abuse. It explains how the court is required to approach safeguarding, risk assessment, and decision-making where abuse is alleged.

Articles under this tag support self-represented parents by explaining how PD12J affects case management, fact-finding hearings, interim contact, and the court’s duty to prioritise safety while ensuring procedural fairness.

Posts

JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproductive Coercion, Pregnancy and the Family Court: When “Historic” Abuse Still Matters

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Abuse does not become irrelevant simply because it happened during pregnancy or before a child was born. Reproductive coercion can include contraception interference, forced pregnancy, pressure concerning abortion or reproductive treatment and other conduct designed to undermine reproductive autonomy. This guide explains how such allegations may become relevant in Family Court proceedings, what evidence matters and how to present the history without confusing allegation, evidence and finding.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cafcass, Domestic Abuse Allegations and Fact-Finding: Lessons from Re D

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The Court of Appeal’s decision in D (Change of Circumstances: Domestic Abuse Allegations) [2026] EWCA Civ 969 explains that Cafcass can assess safeguarding risks but cannot treat disputed allegations as established facts. The judgment highlights when fact-finding may need reconsideration, the importance of the welfare checklist and practical issues for litigants in person responding to section 7 reports.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

When a Child Says “No Contact”

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A child saying they do not want contact with a parent is important evidence — but it does not always answer the welfare question. This article examines PD12J, domestic abuse, indirect contact, Cafcass, wishes and feelings, contact breakdown and why understanding how a child reached their position can be just as important as recording the position itself.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Your Nervous System Is Not Separate From Your Family Court Case

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A frightened or exhausted parent is not automatically an unreliable one. This article examines why family courts, Cafcass and professionals must assess safeguarding concerns, children’s wishes and parental behaviour in their full context.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Justice System “National Emergency”: What the Crisis Means for Domestic Abuse Survivors and Family Court Users

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The Victims’ Commissioner has warned that pressures across the criminal justice system have the “hallmarks of a national emergency”. JSH Law examines what systemic delay, fragmented information and overstretched services can mean for domestic abuse survivors, children and litigants in person navigating the Family Court.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Canada Is Treating Coercive Control as a Pattern — Are UK Family Courts Doing Enough?

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Canada is developing a striking three-layer legal response to coercive control across family, civil and criminal law. JSH Law examines what has actually changed, why social-media descriptions of a new “tier” of family violence need clarification, and what England and Wales can learn about patterns of abuse, children, post-separation control and family-court evidence.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pressured Into Swinging? UK Consent and Court Guide

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Being married, joining a swingers’ website or sending apparently enthusiastic messages does not automatically prove free consent. This practical guide explains how to report sexual coercion, preserve digital evidence, challenge a no-further-action decision and present relevant allegations in the Family Court.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Is Under Review: What Litigants in Person Need to Know

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The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is under scrutiny. For litigants in person, this matters because the statutory definition affects safeguarding, Cafcass reports, child arrangements, evidence, special measures and how abuse is understood in family court.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pathfinder Is Failing Children: What Litigants in Person Are Really Seeing Inside the Family Courts

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Cafcass and Pathfinder are being promoted as major reforms in private family law. But many litigants in person say children are still being failed by delay, weak safeguarding, poor analysis, and a system under pressure.
JSH Law Resources and Guidance for Litigants in Person – practical family court information explained in plain English.© 2026 JSH Law Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparing Your Case Like a Barrister: A Practical Guide for Litigants in Person

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Most litigants in person are never taught how to prepare a case. This article explains how barrister-style preparation can help family court users read the papers properly, identify the real issues, organise evidence, prepare chronologies and write position statements that help the court understand what matters.