If you are involved in court proceedings about your child there will be language used in the court room which is confusing.
One of these phrases is Qualified Legal Representative or QLR. So what is this?
These are new court rules and laws to stop perpetrators of domestic abuse from being able to cross examine their victim in family court proceedings.
Cross examination is where one party asks questions of the other when the other is giving evidence. If the party asking the questions has a solicitor or barrister representing them, this is the solicitor or barrister’s job. However, where a party is not represented they would ordinarily have to ask the questions themselves.
The new rules mean that the court can in certain circumstances appoint a Qualified Legal Representative (a solicitor or barrister) to cross-examine the other party on behalf of the perpetrator.
The government has also included in the new court rules that the victim can also have this type of representation so that they do not have to ask questions of the perpetrator of their abuse.
The rules are quite complicated and generally (but not always) apply to cases of domestic abuse.
The rules only apply to new applications to the court made on or after 21 July 2022.
Please contact us on 0117 214 1797 or office@citmchambers.co.uk if you want legal advice as to the arrangements for the care of your child.