*/
Growing numbers of adults are opting to do nothing about family law problems to avoid the stress of going to court without a lawyer.
A report from Citizens Advice – Standing alone: going to the family court without a lawyer – found that seven in 10 people would ‘think twice’ about taking a case to court by themselves.
More than half of the Citizens Advice network said they had seen an increase in the number of people choosing not to resolve their family problems since legal aid cuts were introduced in 2013.
The report said that distrust of lawyers, exacerbated by stories in the media about ‘fat cat’ lawyers who overcharge and under-deliver, also put them off.
Where people went to court themselves, seven in 10 advisers said that the experience of being a litigant-in-person exacerbated existing mental health issues and caused people’s physical health to suffer.
Almost half (47%) of advisers reported that it also put extra pressure on people’s relationships with their employers and 71% said it adversely affected relationships with family friends.
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: ‘For people representing themselves in the family courts, whether in a divorce case or to keep the legal right to see their children, the workload to prepare can be unmanageable. In extreme cases people are quitting their job so they have the time to do research before going to court.
‘The stress of making your case against qualified barristers and navigating complex court processes without the right guidance can make existing mental and physical health problems worse. If people representing themselves in court knew where they could get reliable information online or face to face this could help cut down the time they need to prepare.’
Growing numbers of adults are opting to do nothing about family law problems to avoid the stress of going to court without a lawyer.
A report from Citizens Advice – Standing alone: going to the family court without a lawyer – found that seven in 10 people would ‘think twice’ about taking a case to court by themselves.
More than half of the Citizens Advice network said they had seen an increase in the number of people choosing not to resolve their family problems since legal aid cuts were introduced in 2013.
The report said that distrust of lawyers, exacerbated by stories in the media about ‘fat cat’ lawyers who overcharge and under-deliver, also put them off.
Where people went to court themselves, seven in 10 advisers said that the experience of being a litigant-in-person exacerbated existing mental health issues and caused people’s physical health to suffer.
Almost half (47%) of advisers reported that it also put extra pressure on people’s relationships with their employers and 71% said it adversely affected relationships with family friends.
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: ‘For people representing themselves in the family courts, whether in a divorce case or to keep the legal right to see their children, the workload to prepare can be unmanageable. In extreme cases people are quitting their job so they have the time to do research before going to court.
‘The stress of making your case against qualified barristers and navigating complex court processes without the right guidance can make existing mental and physical health problems worse. If people representing themselves in court knew where they could get reliable information online or face to face this could help cut down the time they need to prepare.’
The profession has already tackled many uncertainties and risks
How seriously should barristers’ chambers take the threat of cyberattack and how can they best protect themselves? Doug Hargrove offers some expert advice
With a mandate to advance best practice in crypto fraud cases and investigations, and improve recovery outcomes for victims, CFAAR (the Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery network) founders Nick Price and Aidan Larkin discuss plans for the new network
Q&A with Carmel King of Grant Thornton UK LLP’s Insolvency and Asset Recovery practice
AlphaBiolabs is extending its support to vulnerable families once again this Christmas
An update by Rachel Cooper of Coram Chambers
A barrister-authors cultural life and times includes an obsession with all things medieval and what it means to be British
As we face 2022, the profession feels restless, the job feels relentless but we are in good hands: our new yet seasoned leader talks to Joanna Hardy-Susskind about his concerns and ambitions for the Bar, and how we protect this truly precious, national asset
Raggi Kotak and Laurie-Anne Power on the positive actions chambers can take to support a more racially inclusive environment
Can we make life in the law healthier and happier? asks Elizabeth Rimmer
Lets not look a gift horse in the mouth, writes Katie Gollop QC
