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What are the benefits of having a solicitor attend with me? What sort of things are they able to do that I can't?
Solicitors: Legal advisers that inform you how the law works and give you options for court orders that you can apply for. They also give advise on responding to legal matters from the other party.
Barristers: They represent your position in a court room and can cross examine the other party on your behalf.
Whether to self-represent as a litigant on person in family court or to use a legal advise depends on the situation. If you are divorcing, have financial assets to split or have an occupation order granted against yourself, legal advise is pragmatic.
However it's important to evaluation WHAT you need legal advise on and what you can do yourself. For example, if your ex applies for a NMO against yourself it's pointless to spend £5000-6000 opposing it at the first hearing as NMO involving children more than often get granted in the interim.
Furthermore a solicitor won't do all the thinking for you as it's unethical to lead a client. Therefore it's beneficial to have a basic understanding of family court proceedings and how the courts make their decisions, regardless of whether you are self representing or not.
What's most important in proceedings for child arrangement orders is to focus on what you can control. These are the most influencing factors that barristers and solicitors can't control:
-The distance from your home to the children's school.
-Whether you have a job that enables you to reliably do school runs.
hi,
can you give a little backgroun? is this a 2nd hearing for a child arrangement order, or you have made a 2nd c100 application and you have a first hearing coming up? are you just asking court for more time with kids?
@bill337
We had a court hearing and made arrangements for me to see our daughter. My wife has obstructed our agreement at every opportunity. For example, giving very little notice, insisting cafcass were present (which cafcass have confirmed is a service that they would not offer) being argumentative with our neighbours and making unreasonable demands on their time which is impacting upon their family life. (My wife insisted upon the neighbours are present when I see our daughter)
I have submitted c79 and c2 forms to court and we have a further court hearing on 27/07/2022
My wife has made false statements to cafcass. For example, that I cut myself with a bread knife, that I am a racist (in my previous job I was the departmental lead on equality and diversity) that I am controlling (my wife chose our wedding/honeymoon venues, chose our house, chose our daughters name).
No professional organisation has ever said that I am a risk to my daughter, yet my wife insists that i am.
Peter
hi,
what are you current arrangements with seeing kids? if cafcass state they have no serious concerns with child welfare and contact, should be a straightforward process.
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