Chaos in family courts

SIR – I commend Christopher Hope’s report (August 9) regarding people left to represent themselves before the family courts.

The situation has been made worse by several other factors, including the centralisation of family court telephones for listings, particularly outside London. Applicants who have managed to get legal aid, as well as those without such assistance, must often telephone first, as court counters are frequently closed.

When they finally get through, a court clerk may ask the applicant to attend the next day so that their application can be considered. The clerk will then decide whether it is urgent enough to merit consideration by a judge.

Goodness knows what happens when an order is served without legal aid, and the expense of process servers is borne by the applicant.

Some of those representing themselves – and even legally aided counsel – may also not wish to run the gauntlet of certain family judges, who may humiliate them if they decide there is no urgency after all.

Both applicants in person and legally aided counsel, in whichever tier of court, deserve all the luck in the world these days as the mountains they are required to climb only become higher. Jeremy Rose

London W2