The Family Court in Jersey has recently published its new Practice Direction PD FD 25/01 on the use of experts during proceedings. The Court has placed an emphasis on avoiding the use of experts in producing reports and giving evidence in cases where such evidence might not have a material difference on the outcome of a case. The aim of this Practice Direction is to assist with the effective management of financial resources and delay in Family cases.
The Practice Direction highlights that an application will need to be made to the Court and, when considering whether to grant permission for an expert to be appointed, the Court will hear as to why the expert evidence is necessary for the outcome of the case, rather than being “reasonably required” or “helpful”. The Court will also prefer that a single, joint expert is appointed rather than separate experts for each party.
Our team are well versed in matters before the Family Court and consider that this Practice Direction will help families to try and streamline cases, instead of relying upon expert evidence which may not assist the Court and can cause delay and unnecessary expense. If you are currently involved in proceedings before the Family Court, or are considering legal proceedings, and are unsure of what may be involved, please contact our expert Family team at family@lgl.je who will be able to assist you.