News
Review of the Standard Family Orders (SFOs) announced
On 14 January 2022 Mr Justice Mostyn made the following announcement with the endorsement of the President of the Family Division.
"The drafting of the money SFOs was completed in 2017 and the children SFOs in 2018. There have been some amendments since then in each sector, but they have largely remained as they were first drafted. In the ensuing years they have become almost universally used in both money and children cases; very few problems have been identified.
But if this success is to continue the SFOs need to be kept up to date in a world of continuously changing events and developments. The Covid pandemic, Brexit, the increased use of electronic working methods, as well as developments in the substantive law, have all contributed changes that need to be reflected in the SFOs.
For these reasons I am today announcing that all the SFOs will be reviewed in the next few months with a view to my issuing updated volumes of both money and children orders by the Summer of this year. I have asked HHJ Kambiz Moradifar and HHJ Edward Hess to lead on the money orders. They have each formed a team of judges and practitioners to carry out this review.
We want to hear from practitioners, judges or anybody else as soon as possible with comments on any relevant matters. It may be an area where a new order or paragraph should be created or a suggested change to an existing paragraph or order, or anything else relevant to this exercise. Comments may be general or specific. All are welcome.
If you would like to make a comment could you please email it to pfd.office@judiciary.uk with subject header 'SFO Review' by 28 February