The Final Report of the Financial Remedies Working Group

The Final Report of the Financial Remedies Working Group, dated 15 December 2014, was released for publication earlier this week. It deals with and supplements many of the issues and suggestions made generally in relation to practice and procedure in the July 2014 Interim Report.

So far however as concerns arbitration in family proceedings, paragraph 38 simply reprises the previous recommendations thus:

38. The group in its initial report made recommendations in relation to Arbitration in Family Proceedings to the effect that:

(i) CPR PD62, paragraph 2 is amended to add the High Court, Family Division to the list;
(ii) a Family Division equivalent of Form N8 be devised and promulgated; and
(iii) the President should promulgate the Guidance set out in Annex 12 to the interim report.

and records that the Group has considered the responses on this subject and maintains its recommendations.

A summary of the contents of the proposed Guidance can be read here. The full Interim Report can be read at this link.

It is encouraging therefore that the Final Report takes these positive steps a step nearer to fruition. This is surely good news for those who use the IFLA Scheme or are considering doing so, demonstrating as it does continuing judicial support for the process.