Outstanding public law cases down by 2,247 from 2023 to 2024, Family Court annual report reveals

The first annual report recording activity and developments in the Family Court has revealed that the number of outstanding public law cases reduced by 2,247 from 2023 to 2024, following the relaunch of the Public Law Outline (PLO).

The report, published by the President of the Family Division as part of the court’s move towards greater transparency, observed that as a result of an increase in the volume of applications in public law cases from 2017 onwards, the Family Court has not been able to meet the statutory requirement to complete cases within 26 weeks.

In 2023, only 29% of public law proceedings were completed within 26 weeks, down from 52% in 2018.

In order to combat the “normalisation of delay”, the Family President relaunched the Public Law Outline (PLO) on 16 January 2023.

Monitoring the progress of the relaunch, the Family President revealed that data from the first quarter of 2024 shows that care cases are currently being completed in 41.2 weeks - the lowest case duration since the last quarter of 2020.

He said: “In the past year, the Family Court, which carries a substantial backlog of cases, has faced another busy and challenging period.

“Digital systems started to bed down, with judiciary and practitioners continuing to adapt to the new ways of working. In particular, the relaunch of the Public Law Outline case management template in child protection cases, and the successful piloting of a new approach to private law cases are seen as engines for positive improvement in the court’s approach to these two very busy areas.”

He added that the transparency reporting pilot – which allows accredited media and legal bloggers to report on what they see and hear during family court cases - is now in operation in approximately half of all Family Court areas, with the intention for it to be introduced in all remaining courts in early 2025.

The Family President praised the work of “dedicated” judges, magistrates, court staff, social workers, children’s guardians and practitioners “applying themselves to the resolution of family discord and the protection of the vulnerable”, adding: “The practice of Family Law is something of a vocation and I never cease to be grateful for the unrelenting commitment of each and every person who supports the work of the Family Court.”

Lottie Winson