Family Court Proceedings.........

[Sophie1102]

Has anyone had experience with final hearings within the family courts??

I'm in the middle of a court battle with my girls dad and am approching a final hearing and as now my partner lives with me i no longer qulaify for legal aid and am therefore representing myself, slightly nervous as i will have to question him myself, and there has been lots of domestic violence issues.

It would be great to hear of anyone else's experiences, thanks in advance

 

[Babylicious]

I've been through this - has it gone to a find and fact hearing?

 

[Sophie1102]

We are due to have the finding of fact hearing on thursday 6th sept, so not long now, i was watching the hollyoaks trial last night trying to get some hints as to how to start my questions!!! lol

 

[budge]

Has anyone had experience with final hearings within the family courts??

I'm in the middle of a court battle with my girls dad and am approching a final hearing and as now my partner lives with me i no longer qulaify for legal aid and am therefore representing myself, slightly nervous as i will have to question him myself, and there has been lots of domestic violence issues.

It would be great to hear of anyone else's experiences, thanks in advance

try and get a solicitor. go to citizens advice and see what you can do. if you go in there alone they will eat you alive.

if there was violence and stuff get in touch with the police who will have every incident on record. For a tenner they will send you the sheets including any phone calls and follow ups etc.
go to the docs too if you were injured and had to gt medical treatment.

 

[Babylicious]

I agree with budge - I presume you are trying to stop contact?

 

[Sophie1102]

Thanks budge but i've already got all that, had a solicitor but now OH has moved in we no longer qualify for it, so i don't have achoice but to do it my self, the childrens dad started with the court proceeding last June, and i have been told that after the finding of fact hearing in spet the final hearing - where the judge makes a decision on contact - won't be until march, which means i will be 8 months gone, so then i'll go to the doctor to put it off untill after the birth.

Yes i do wanna stop contact he's a waste of space, we have been apart for over 6 years and he still won't leave me alone, it's only now that i have moved and changed my number that he can't find me

 

[budge]

you can't stop contact chick.
Your best bet is to Aagree to your OH having some contact but in a contact centre where he will be monitored and your child will be safe.
This will only be for a few months though until he has pproved himself then it will be reviewed.

if you go to court and refuse contact altogether they will not look favourable on you. They will much rather take your side seriously if you suggest contact but under some sort of monitoring.

chances are if you suggest a contact centre they will agreee to this and will he make all the appointments etc??? if hes the shite you make him out to be then i doubt it. Therefore it will be noted at the centre and if it goes to court again he won't have a leg to stand on.
If he turns up on time every time then i think that would prove he is committed to your child.

 

[Sophie1102]

yeah i know that, i have only ever wanted him to be able to see the girls without giving me s**t everytime he sees me, and i do feel that it is really unfortunte that it has come to this, he's never given me a penny in maintainence and the CSA are rubbish at trying to get it out of him, and he's claiming legal aid to get all this done for him.

There has been talk of a contact centre, but they hadn't suggested it until yesterday as he was still on a change project which is for men who say they don't think they have done anything wrong. There is so many professions working with him it's mad, it just seems unfair to put the children in the position where i know he will let them down again, bearing in mind he casn't seen them for 20 months

 

[Babylicious]

Hmm after not seeing his kids for 20months it could be damaging for them to see him again, especially if there was domestic violence. Personally I doubt he would get contact - have you had social workers interview the girls? What do the girls think to contact?

 

[budge]

Hmm after not seeing his kids for 20months it could be damaging for them to see him again, especially if there was domestic violence. Personally I doubt he would get contact - have you had social workers interview the girls? What do the girls think to contact?

#

He wil get some sort of contact.
Sophie you have to stick to your guns and insist that he only sees them in a contact centre so that it is regulated etc. You can insist you are present the first few sessions too to make sure the girls are ok .


If you're wondering how i know so much its coz ive dealt with this sort of thing loads of time in my work

 

[Sophie1102]

Yeah social services have been involved on 4 occasions now.

His solicitor said that after the fact finding they will make a date for the final, and she said that won't be until next March, but all the support he is getting stops next month and i'm sure he will revert back to his old ways without people telling him what to do.

Thanks budge - what is it you do??