Jonathan has a very busy and comprehensive Family Law practice. In the last 3 years he has represented a local authority in an 8 day fact-finding hearing into injuries suffered by a baby, and continues to represent a local authority in a case before the High Court in which the mother and the children have fled overseas. He has represented a father initially in a fact-finding hearing into a child’s injuries, and then within the welfare part of the final hearing. He regularly represents parties within applications for Deprivation of Liberty orders and has represented a Children’s Guardian in a fact-finding/welfare hearing over 5 days.

Selected Cases

• SL v JA & Anor [2024] EWHC 1784 (Fam) – High Court Family Division
• R (Children: Findings of Fact) [2024] EWCA Civ 153 – Court of Appeal
• East Sussex County Council v AG (Finding of Fact) [2017] EWHC 536 (Fam) (06 March 2017) – High Court Family Division
• Re W (A Child) [2017] EWHC 829 (Fam) – High Court Family Division
• Re: H (A child) [2015] EWCA Civ 1284 – Court of Appeal
• Medway Council v JB & Ors [2015] EWHC 3064 (Fam) – High Court Family Division
• WSCC v H & Ors (Children) (Care Proceedings:Brain Injury) [2015] EWHC 2439 (Fam) – High Court Family Division
• Re AD & AM (Non-Accidental Injury: Welfare) [2014] EWHC 4899 (Fam) – High Court Family Division
• M-F (Children) [2014] EWCA Civ 991 (15 July 2014) Court of Appeal
• R (A Child), Re Court of Appeal (Civil Division), 12 June 2013 [2013] EWCA Civ 899
• A Local Authority v K Family Division, 11 October 2011 [2011] EWHC 2581 (Fam); [2012] 1 F.L.R. 765; [2012] Fam. Law 124
• C (A Child) Court of Appeal Neutral Citation Number: [2012] EWCA Civ 535 – an appeal against a finding that the Mother was responsible for non-accidental injuries made by a judge effectively without notice to the parties at the disposal hearing, when a different judge had been unable to decide which of the parents was responsible for the causation of the injuries at a previous fact-finding hearing
• A Local Authority v K And Others [2011] EWHC 2581 (Fam) [2012] 1 FLR 765 – case involving the death of a child where the President decided that no fact-finding hearing was necessary or appropriate
• Re A (A Child) Court of Appeal Neutral Citation Number: [2007] EWCA Civ 1058 [2008] 1 FLR 1423 – a case involving non-accidental injury and whether a judge’s finding that both parents were responsible for causing injury independently to a child was sustainable, as well as a reminder to Counsel to seek any amplification of findings required at the fact-finding hearing
• Re Brandon Webster (a child) sub nom Norfolk County Council v Nicola Webster & 5 ors (2006), [2006] EWHC 2733 (Fam), (2007) EMLR 7 : (2007) 1 FLR 1146 : (2007) HRLR 3, High Court – concerning the right to hold care proceedings with the media admitted, and to publicise the details of the case generally
• Re Brandon Webster (A CHILD) sub nom Norfolk County Council v (1) Nicola Webster (2) Mark Webster (3) Brandon Webster (A Child by his Children’s Guardian ) (2006), [2006] EWHC 2898 (Fam), High Court – concerning the right to instruct further medical experts in complex care proceedings
• In Re R (A Child) (Adoption: Contact) 15th September 2005 Times Law Reports, [2006] 1 FLR 373, Court of Appeal – the principles to be applied for leave to apply applications under s.10 Children Act 1989 as applied to adoption cases
• SH and RH v Suffolk CC Neutral Citation Number: [2003] EWHC 429 (Fam) High Court Family Division – appeal from a FPC – the court (Sumner J) made useful comments about the type of case which Magistrates should hear, and over what length of hearing
• Re B and T (Care Proceedings: Legal Representation) [2001] 1 FLR 485, Court of Appeal, – the right to legal representation under the Human Rights Act in care proceedings
• Northamptonshire CC v Islington BC [1999] 2 FLR 881, 2000) 2 WLR 193 (care/ designation of local authority under Children Act 1989), Court of Appeal
• Re G (Adoption: Illegal Placement) [1995] 1 FLR 403, Court of Appeal Re R (A Minor) (Contempt) [1994] 2 FLR 185, Court of Appeal Re SW (A Minor) (Care Proceedings) [1993] 2 FLR 609 Re W (A Minor) (Secure Accommodation Order) [1993] 1 FLR 692

Publications

• Family Law Journal, May 2001 Number 6, Article on Legal Representation in Care Proceedings – a commentary on the decision of the Court of Appeal in Re B and T (Care Proceedings: Legal Representation) [2001] 1 FLR 485