The Bar Council called for all family court cases involving domestic abuse to be brought within the scope of legal aid for both parties, and for the trial to be scrapped for alleged domestic abuse.
In a new policy paper, the body, which represents all 18,000 barristers in England and Wales, has set out a package of recommendations to improve the efficiency of the family justice system.
Today, only 15% of families are eligible for legal aid, which, when combined with the difficulties of recruiting in the country “legal family deserts, the body is stable deserts”, warned the legal counsel.
This will lead to more people being forced to represent themselves as “human litigants”, which the Bar Council says is time announcements and accommodations.
The Bar Council said that the family court system has an important role for women men and women (vawg), and the government’s investment will help the government to fulfill this in a decade.
According to government data, in the year ending March 2024, more than 1.2 million women and more than 550,000 men between the ages of 16 and 59 are estimated to be victims of domestic abuse.
A report from Domestic Abuse Commissioner Published in October It has been found that domestic abuse plays a role in 90% of family court cases.
Other proposals from the bar council include an increase in legal funding for Family assistance, enough to activate the rollout of Pathfinder and Walacs courts (FDAC) in the family justice system.
The policy paper also calls for continued support for abuse protection orders and domestic abuse notifications (DAPOS) Perpetrator programs following court hearings.
“Violence against women and girls is not a private issue, it is now a public emergency. We know that women and girls are hurt by men who claim they are calling their place.
“We’re just crashing in terms of solutions if we don’t also consider family justice, when it’s criminal justice,” Chailn Chairs Kc, his own family silk.
“That’s why we set up our recommendations – we know that through family courts, we can not only protect victims but also prevent violence against women and girls for a long time.”
The barrados have raised issues, including in some courts, victims and alleged perpetrators are forced to sit in the same waiting room, while meetings are held in rooms that are burdened by the next discussed next door.
In some courts there is no drinking water or destruction facilities, and they warn that a lack of security puts lawyers and clients at risk.
The mills said that “in the current state, the system is not working as it should”.
“A long record of underfunding in the court system has left a disorganized and inauthentic court system, which is not always sufficient to support efficient work,” he added.
“Investment is urgently needed to ensure we have access, justice-centered justice focused on early intervention and prevention.”