Matthew Stott appeared for the respondent mother in the final welfare hearing in F v M [2023] EWFC 5

Matthew Stott appeared for the respondent mother in the final welfare hearing in F v M before Mr Justice Hayden. Significant and very serious findings had previously been made against the father within the sphere of coercive and controlling behaviour.

The welfare hearing considered, inter alia, issues around acquisition and termination of parental responsibility, orders to limit exercise of parental responsibility, the transformative approach to s.91(14) orders following the implementation of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (including PD 12Q) and importantly how litigation can be used as a vehicle by one party to continue a pattern of controlling and coercive behaviour.

The full judgment can be found here.

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