This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of a briefing paper on artificial intelligence (AI) in the family justice system, together with developments in the law surrounding transgender adolescents and their ability to consent to puberty blockers and cross-hormone treatment, as well as details of the 2024–2025 edition of At a Glance, which is now available in Lexis+® UK.

This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes the first Family Procedure Rules 2010 Practice Direction update of 2025, new guidance from the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, on the citation of authorities in relation to judgments of circuit judges and district judges and details of updated court fees in family proceedings. Analysis of recent judgments on the sharing of documents in financial remedy proceedings with non-attending reporters and on the assessment of the welfare of a competent child versus their wishes and feelings are also included, together with four new flowcharts on appeals.

This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of updated Courts and Tribunals Judiciary AI guidance for the judiciary, the Family Public Law release note launching a query case management feature and Christmas and New Year opening times for courts and tribunals. Recent judgments on appeals against care and placement orders, applications for return orders and parental orders where a child is born via international surrogacy are also considered.

This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the third Family Procedure Rules 2010 Practice Direction update of 2025 and the High Court of Justice summer 2025 vacation notice. Recent decisions from the Court of Appeal on jurisdiction for divorce proceedings, fact-finding hearings in public children cases, wardship proceedings and enforcement of child arrangement orders are set out. A new flowchart setting out when the express financial remedy procedure applies is also set out.

This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of the first Family Procedure Rules 2010 Practice Direction update of 2024, tax announcements in the Spring Budget, an update from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) as to the family reform programme and the extension of the completion date of the programme by a year and details of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) annual report. Two new SIs in relation to domestic abuse protection orders are set out, as well as details of a new precedent client guide on the protection of home rights.

This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes analyses of the court’s approach to parental orders under section 54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 in international surrogacy cases and the refusal of a declaration of parentage on public policy grounds. Details of the appointment of Lord Justice Snowden to the Supreme Court are set out. The Victims and Courts Bill, together with the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, have received royal assent. Recent judgments on domicile to establish jurisdiction for divorce and financial remedies, the continuation of withholding orders preventing disclosure to the parents of the identities of key professionals in ongoing care proceedings and an application for committal for contempt against a father for breach of an order requiring the return of a child to France and earlier financial orders are also considered.

This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of the latest Family Procedure Rules 2010 Practice Direction update of 2024, extensions to the transparency pilots in the family courts and the extension of the Law Commission consultation on the law of contempt of court. Issues with uploading documents to the contested financial remedy service are set out, together with details of the Public Law Working Group’s calls for adoption process reform. Judgments considering the discharge of a prohibited steps order and the refusal of parents to accompany the summary return of a child are also considered.

This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes a release note from HMCTS confirming that solicitors using the online divorce service have the ability to action an agreed notice of change or notice of acting using MyHMCTS Manage Cases and analysis of a decision on parallel child abduction and asylum proceedings. A supplemental report and draft legislation from the Law Commission on digital assets as personal property and the extension of a Child Maintenance Service consultation are also considered.

This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of the Supreme Court’s decision in Potanina v Potanin and the end of the ‘knock-out blow’ in claims under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984. In addition, guidance from the Supreme Court on applying for help with fees is set out, together new standard instructions from the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee when the Official Solicitor acts as litigation friend. A Court of Appeal decision on the interpretation of section 15(3) of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 in the context of financial remedy proceedings and a decision by the Administrative Court on an application for a gender recognition certificate are also considered.

This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the updated Court of Appeal (Civil Division) Guide 2025, the ALC’s Family Justice Strategy for the South East event, the Family Mediation Council webinar series for Family Mediation Week 2026 and a letter from Mr Justice MacDonald to ALC members. A new research report published by the MoJ on Private Law Pathfinder Courts pilot scheme is also included. Recent judgments on a parentage application by a transgender applicant, application for a summary return order, application for permission to appeal against a financial remedy order and a disputed family loan in financial remedies following an overseas divorce are also considered.

This week’s edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of the changes to the HMCTS Family Public Law service to improve the Form C110a application journey and a speech delivered by the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos, at the International Forum on Online Dispute Resolution considering the role of the Digital Justice System in resolving disputes, together with the new Online Procedure Rules (Specified Proceedings) Regulations 2025. The Court of Appeal’s clarification of whether a local authority with a care order for a child can consent to that child's confinement is analysed. Recent judgments, including the application for the appointment and funding of a lay advocate and declaration of non-parentage post-adoption are included.

This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the second Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction Update of 2026 extending the operation of the FPR 2010, PD 36Z, Pilot scheme: private law reform: investigative approach, together with details of the Supreme Court fee increases from 1 April 2026. Recent judgments on parental alienation, a father's application for a return order under the 1980 Hague Convention and a relocation application are also considered.