Practice and procedure

From 22 April 2014, the single Family Court replaced the previous three tiers of court structure (family proceedings court, county court and High Court). The High Court has retained exclusive jurisdiction over a limited number of cases. See Practice Note: The single Family Court.

In January 2018, the then President of the Family Division, Sir James Munby announced the launch of the Financial Remedies Court pilots and the proposed structure and geography of the Financial Remedies Court. Subsequently a national lead judge and deputy lead judge have been appointed and guidance was issued in November 2019 as to the Financial Remedies Court zones and the appointment of a lead judge for each zone. Specific considerations apply as to an application in the Financial Remedies Court as to allocation, the accelerated first appointment procedure and best practice. See Practice Note: The Financial Remedies Court.

A ‘Statement on the efficient conduct of financial remedy hearings allocated to a High Court judge whether sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice or elsewhere’ was issued in 2016 (amending previous versions) and is now accompanied by a ‘Statement on the

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