John Vater QC and Andrew Leong in latest Court of Appeal case on relocation

The Court, consisting of the President, Black, L.J. and Briggs, L.J., unanimously dismissed the father’s appeal (permission having been granted by King, L.J.) and will give judgment after Easter. The main issues were whether Mostyn, J. had adequately balanced questions of risk and protection, whether he had sufficiently explained his reasons for departing from a CAFCASS recommendation, and to what extent he was obliged to apply the section 1(3) Children Act 1989  ‘welfare checklist’ in a relocation application.