Family court judges in England are now able to order DNA tests to determine a child’s parentage. This follows two pilot schemes in Taunton and Bristol which were set up following anecdotal evidence that courtroom arguments led to delays in divorce cases, particularly where parentage was in question.
Partner William Donnelly said, “The aim behind this initiative is that all cases involving children should be resolved quickly and wherever possible outside court”.
Findings from the pilots suggest the tests mean judges can be more confident when making decisions about children and, most importantly, parents would be more likely to follow the court’s orders.
The funding for DNA testing in private family law cases follows the introduction last year of a series of reforms designed to place children at the heart of every case and government agencies have reported that this has resulted in a cut to 29 weeks the time which care cases are taking.
The reforms have included:
William, comments “It is hoped that the recent reforms, together with the new rules on DNA testing, will help to end acrimonious and embarrassing court battles.”.
If you would like assistance on a family matter call William on 023 9260 3400 for further information.
August 2017