Prohibition of Cross-examination in Family Proceedings

The Department of Justice issued a consultation on options for legislation to protect victims of domestic abuse from being cross-examined by perpetrators in person in family proceedings in 2019.

The Bar recognises that cases being dealt with in the family courts often deal with complex, emotive and sensitive issues and many barristers working in the family courts have direct experience of representing parties to family proceedings who have been cross-examined by personal litigants, creating the potential for a victim of domestic abuse to be cross-examined by their abuser, which can have a significant and lasting impact on this individual.

Click to view the Bar’s response to the consultation submitted in September 2019.