A decision by the High Court to make a Legal Services Payment Order (LSPO) to cover future costs in ongoing child arrangement order proceedings, allowing the mother’s appeal against a decision of HHJ Tolson QC.
General background
The unmarried parents with a 6-year-old daughter were involved in private law children's proceedings for child arrangements orders to live with or spend time with the father. In October 2018, the mother suspended the child's contact with the father and reported to police and social services that the child had disclosed inappropriate sexual behaviour by the father (para 4). At the fact-finding hearing commencing 15 July 2019, the judge determined that the allegations were false but he was not able to make a finding as to whether they were maliciously caused by the mother or were the result of over-anxiety (para 11). In May 2019, two months before the fact-finding hearing, the mother had removed the child to Iran without consent and in breach of her undertaking to the court. She returned the child when a court order was made (para 4).
Read the full article on Family Law Week.