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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.’
Update from the Chair of the Bar
By David Green
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Unlocking your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step. By Philip N Bristow
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, discusses the upcoming changes to pensions and Inheritance Tax and the potential impact on your financial future
Save the Children UK is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
The Chief Legal Officer to the Metropolitan Police, barrister Brett Welch, tells Anthony Inglese CB about his mission and the work to turn the Met around
Barrister apprenticeships – shortly to provide the fourth pathway to the Bar – are an ideal opportunity to support local talent and ‘grow your own’, say Tim Coulson and Dr Jane Dennehy
Born from a grievance, their research project grew into a book and is now challenging the status quo. Emma Price and Emma-Louise Fenelon reveal the key findings – and the critical next steps
Grok around and find out – or not? Mariya Peykova investigates the nudification scandal, what the law has to say about sexually explicit deepfakes, and whether stronger regulation is needed
Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts
