Iain Large, specialist barrister in both public law children proceedings and private law disputes publishes an article for The Transparency Project about the case of L (Fact-Finding Hearing: Fairness) [2022] EWCA Civ 169 (17 February 2022).

This case is about how the court decides the truth of child protection allegations made against parents. Specifically: when is it fair to a parent for the court to decide the truth of allegations which haven’t been raised by the local authority bringing the case, in the first place?