Courts Service accepts plan for law reforms

THE Courts Service has accepted a plan for wide-ranging reforms of the family law system that will allow the public to follow sample proceedings and enable judges’ decisions to be centrally recorded for the first time.

However the most radical proposals, which would require Government sanction, received a guarded welcome from Justice Minister Brian Lenihan who is to have his department consider them.

Key among the changes urged in a report by Dr Carol Coulter is the establishment of a regional network of 10-15 specialist full-time family law courts, each to be presided over by a dedicated judge holding the position for a minimum of a year.