The ongoing court delays are significantly impacting the operations of family law practices, as explained by Natasha Grande, Head of Family, in a podcast with Today’s Family Lawyer.
Natasha highlights that clients are mainly concerned about the duration and cost of their cases. Previously, lawyers could confidently predict these factors, but current statistics showing private law children cases taking up to 47 weeks have made managing client expectations challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic has notably contributed to these delays, altering previously successful timelines for family law cases.
Furthermore, increasing case complexity and chronic underfunding of family law exacerbate the issue. Despite these challenges, Grande emphasizes the rise of alternative dispute resolution options, such as mediation and arbitration, which help keep more cases out of the courts. The role of family lawyers in reducing court delays wherever possible is also discussed.
External factors like an increase in Litigants in Person, where neither party has legal representation, further complicate matters; research shows that these cases have increased from 14% in 2013 to around 40% in 2023.
You can listen to Natasha's podcast here:
