'Behind Closed Doors. Why We Break Up Families and How to Mend Them' by Polly Curtis: A BOOK REVIEW by Alice Twaite : transparencyproject.org.uk/behind-closed-…

Which Judges can relax reporting restrictions in family court cases? New post by Lucy Reed : transparencyproject.org.uk/which-judges-c…

Now updated with a specific section on magistrates (and the Allocation Guidance)...

P v Q [2022] EWFC B9 (10 February 2022) Judgment of HHJ Hess containing a very helpful summary of the treatment of loans from family members in financial remedy proceedings. See in particular para 19(x) Thanks to ⁦Fleur Claoué de Gohr⁩ for spotting bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/…

'Survey: how do you find and use judgments?' from Paul Magrath writer With links to surveys for both legal professionals & advisors, and members of the public. And the background info: transparencyproject.org.uk/survey-how-do-…

So my copies have arrived - this is what makes it real! Out of our control now so hope it is useful.

Particular and enormous thanks to brilliant Foundation Friends & Patrons Tom Wilcox @kamilashamsie Jill Dawson writer Richard Skinner @RebRendle Jude Cook cosisbrown Gyles Brandreth, Cathy James, Michael Ondaatje, the entire Swift family, + our amazing donors x

Just seen a service selling manuscript assessment with the strapline 'We don't use freelancers' a) Freelancers are great? What's wrong with freelancers?? b) Are you honestly saying your entire reading team is on payroll? I find this such a weird, sniffy marketing angle

Turns out though that this guy has been visiting his dying grandmother in the NorthEast for 3 days, who he loves, and has just had to say goodbye leaving his family there He is on hour 6 of his journey home - and not one person has spoken to him. He just wants to have a chat

So of course, the five of us say of course - we are here, we want to chat. He tells us about his family, his career, his journey, rugby and football. It’s clear that he immediately starts to feel better, just being able to talk to other people He also wants to ask about us

Turns out we’ve got one medical student, a consultant Dr, a motor expert (and me). We cheer on the NHS staff! It was 22.15 and these two had been working hours - for us And it Turns out the guy was worried about me as my stuff in plastic bags (my handbag broke. Not great look)

Coincidences abound - people holiday in the same place, know the same fish and chip shops, piers, you name it. Such a Big city, yet it’s such a very small world Anyway, The guy gets off at his stop (we tell him to get cab home). The Dr gets off with him. Those of us left chat

45 minutes where we could have been staring at our phones. But instead, we chatted, laughed, helped a guy out Moral of this; You never know what someone’s going through. Always worth asking if someone is ok! Thought it was it? Wait! I notice There’s a phone left on the seat

It’s the Dr’s! Argh. Bugger, it’s late, she doesn’t know how to contact us BUT thanks to what she told us, I am able to find her online. I’ve emailed her, will ring her hospital tomorrow, & will go deliver it to her personally. Least we can do given how much she has done for us

So the real moral of the story (aside from you can really stalk someone on the internet with limited info) - is If someone needs a chat, has had a tough time - it can sometime pay off to chat. And you never know, may also help with lost property!

Will update tomorrow once I’ve safely been able to reunite the phone. Train company is aware of it too, so if the Dr rings them they can tell her - it’s going to find it’s way back to her!

New on the blog: second post on Warwickshire v M and F [2023] EWHC 399 (Fam) - Lieven J asks why humanity was lost in the way this case has been conducted transparencyproject.org.uk/somewhere-in-t…

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Tiptop review of All the Wide Border ("a joyful canter through the Marches") in the TLS. Thank you Oliver Balch. Very pleased that it did not go unnoticed that I managed to write an entire book about borders without reaching for the word 'liminal'.

I'm surprised you were allowed to express this on Twitter. I'm sure the algorithms are blocking this important announcement, so I'm doing my civic duty to help spread this important message. 👇🏾