A Better Way

Most family law professionals know that separating families are better off not arguing in court. All too often, that route is a waste of precious finances, harmful to children and emotionally distressing for the adults involved. Yet time and again that's where disputes end up.

Stephen Wildblood KC and Dr Freda Gardner think that is not good enough and argue their case in this new book which is a call for change to everyone in the family justice system. 

For the past few years, the pair have been working as a team to provide supportive, non-court dispute resolution combining legal and psychological expertise to work with families so they can resolve their issues before they even think of court. Having honed the concept, they now think it should be the first port of call for all separations and in A Better Way explain why. They look at the harm families suffer within the current system and review the existing non-court methods of dispute resolution, which are still viewed by too many separating couples as precursors to court. They also draw on family dispute resolution processes worldwide, in particular from Scandinavia, to make their case for change. 

Punchy, thought-provoking, timely and hugely important, A Better Way: Making The Family Court the Last Resort should change family law practice forever.   

Who would find this book useful?

• Family law solicitors and barristers

• Family law policy makers

• Family law judges

• Support groups working with families

• CAFCASS staff

• Family law campaigners

Contents

1. Setting the scene

2. The Family Court

3. The psychological impact of private family law proceedings

4. The development of Family Mediation

5. Mediation in the Family Court

6. Family Mediation: An international perspective

7. The Danish family court - A role model?

8. Mediation in Public law proceedings

9. Early neutral evaluation and Private FDRs

10. Arbitration

11. Domestic abuse and NCDR

12. Developing the partnership: What we did and how it works

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