This Briefcase is made up of a very wide selection of cases chosen so as to enunciate and illustrate some of the fundamental principles applied by the courts to contemporary problems of family law.


The basic facts of the cases and the courts decisions are outlined, and particular attention is given to judicial comments on the essence of the legal questions under discussion. Special emphasis is placed on recent decisions of the Court of Appeal and House of Lords. Attention has been paid to the implications of the recent announcement that the Family Law Act 1996 has been placed on hold, with the exception of the important Part IV of the Act, relating to domestic violence. Full reference tables of cases and statutes are given.


Presentation of the text is designed specifically for students involved in preparation for law degrees and other law-related courses, and for social workers whose daily activities necessitate an understanding of the impact of the decisions of the courts on fundamental social problems related to the family.