*/
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.’
On both fronts – representing the Bar’s interests and protecting the rule of law
Kate West discusses how best to interpret a drug test report, and the common misconceptions about what can be learnt from a drug test
Ashley Hodgkinson looks at drug testing methods and some of the most common ways people try to cheat a drug test
Clerksroom Chambers has recruited Matthew Wildish from 3 Paper Buildings (3PB) to a newly created position of Director of Clerking. Matthew joined the team at Clerksroom on 1 June
... have you seen through yours? asks Julian Morgan
Opportunity for female sopranos/contraltos in secondary education, or who have recently finished secondary education but have not yet begun tertiary education. Eligibility includes children of members of the Bar
Clerksroom Chambers has recruited Matthew Wildish from 3 Paper Buildings (3PB) to a newly created position of Director of Clerking. Matthew joined the team at Clerksroom on 1 June
In this tale of hope, success really has been the best revenge! A difficult journey teaches Rehana Azib QC invaluable lessons along the way
The Chief Inspector of the CPS knows first-hand the difficulties prosecutors face but is no pushover. He talks to Anthony Inglese CB about Operation Soteria, putting victims and cooperation at the heart of criminal justice reform, and his unique and life-changing career prosecuting the crime of all crimes, genocide
Having represented many Davids against many Goliaths over a 30+year career at the publicly funded Bar, renowned silk Professor Leslie Thomas QC critically assesses what the Human Rights Act currently under challenge has done for coronial law and equality of arms
The future of robotics in surgery is likely to hinge on what it enables does the legal system yet have the tools to protect patients?Conor Dufficy and Finn Stevenson investigate
