Absolute sh*tshow of a court process

[Siesta72]

Hi All,

Once again I find myself being fobbed off by this stupidly long dragged out court process.

Current situation is that from the first hearing the judge has ordered an s7 to be completed by the local childrens authority, and as an interim order has said no direct or indirect contact at all until the local authority invites the court after deeming it appropriate to start contact - (due to pending stalking/harrassment charges still under investigation)

The social worker actually came out to my house and was really nice and could see things from my point of view. She said that she doesnt see any safegaurding risks but she cannot write a full and comprehensive s7 report without actually having my son with me.

The next court hearing that was supposed to be on the 17th april has actually been vacated until june due to the ex partner taking my son away on holiday with her new partner which I find extremely irritating given that I have not had so much of a picture of him in 7 months now.

Social worker has changed the filing date of the s7 which has been put back to 14th may despite the next hearing being a further 28 days away.

They have also sent off something to the court requesting that we start some contact urgently in order to progress things, as of yet nothing has happened.

Why has the judge asked for a s7 which is entirely based on me seeing my child yet ordered no direct or indirect contact in the interim? How are things constantly allowed to be pushed back and back again I feel like I am fighting against a herd of braindead zombies and have been told ill be able to see my 1 year old son in 'a couple of weeks now' since november.

Is there a way I can complain about the court process/judge ? Or is it not worth bothering with? I feel like I am having the piss taken out of me by the legal process over a bad breakup with his mother. I have never done anything wrong to my child so find it extremely difficult to believe the situation I am in of not seeing him at all is allowed to happen.

 

[Ash]

I think really it's your ex that's the problem, as presumably she wouldn't agree to any interim time. How on earth did the hearing get back because she decided to go on holiday? She would have had to ask for permission to adjourn and you could have objected. Anyway that's done now.

So LA have contacted court to say start interim time as soon as possible? If they will back you up on that, it could be worth applying for an urgent directions hearing for interim time, backed up by the local authority (you can say when asking for the hearing that LA have said no safeguarding issues), and also say the S7 can't be completed until they have seen your son with you.

 

[Siesta72]

I think really it's your ex that's the problem, as presumably she wouldn't agree to any interim time. How on earth did the hearing get back because she decided to go on holiday? She would have had to ask for permission to adjourn and you could have objected. Anyway that's done now.

So LA have contacted court to say start interim time as soon as possible? If they will back you up on that, it could be worth applying for an urgent directions hearing for interim time, backed up by the local authority (you can say when asking for the hearing that LA have said no safeguarding issues), and also say the S7 can't be completed until they have seen your son with you.

This was my question also. I diddnt recieve any documentation until after the judge had approved the request to vacate.

It states on there that she had 'prebooked' the holiday in november despite not having a lives with court order until the 23rd january. I suspect she was going to go and hope I wouldnt find out or has deliberately altered the dates to further delay the court process.

Am i right in thinking her solicitors should have forwarded me a copy of the c2 before it was sent off?

I will contact the social worker today and ask if this is something they would be willing to support me on. Otherwise realistically its going to mean attending another hearing in june, having no contact and not being able to complete the s7. - So a month and a half additional delay for absolutley no reason. I cant believe the judge has actually set out such contradicting rules. How on earth can A s7 be conducted without any contact?