Financial Remedy Court Update – HHJ Cope

Her Honour Judge Stephanie Cope
Lead Judge for Financial Remedy Work for Bristol
Financial Remedy Court

Some four months have passed since the launch of the FR pilot. Contested applications will shortly move to an online procedure and I will write to you about this in due course.
You will all be familiar with the allocation process. However, only a few court users are taking the opportunity to provide additional information to the court to assist the allocation judge. The purpose of this note is to encourage you to provide that additional information when you return the allocation questionnaire. This will assist the FR court in working efficiently and effectively for you and your clients.

A judge when allocating a case will consider:
- the level of judge required for the case;
- whether it can be listed before any FR judge;
- if the case should be reserved to a judge from the outset;
- the time estimate for the first directions appointment.

The system that has been put in place enables court users to ensure they have the right level of judge and continuity where required. The additional information is there to assist you and your client and you are encouraged to use it. Lay clients may well find involvement in court proceedings stressful and the more we can do to improve their experience should assist. In the absence of such information cases are likely to be allocated to any FR judge. The FR pilot enables all accredited judges to do this work. Some are more experienced than others but all accredited judges have been appropriately trained. I am keen to develop an FR court where both
professional and lay users can have the best possible experience throughout the life of the case.

As before, please ensure any additional information you provide is limited to no more than one side of A4.

Please also remember the Bristol Financial Remedy Hub has a dedicated email address
monitored by staff trained in financial remedy work - allowing court users to communicate directly with the court (BristolFRC.bristol.countycourt@justice.gov.uk).

In respect of consent orders, please can I remind you to provide the necessary information in the statement of information form setting out the reasons for the proposed order.

Finally, please share this letter with as many of your colleagues as possible. Thank you for your ongoing cooperation and if you have any suggestions in respect of improving the FR court please do contact me direct.

Kind regards

Her Honour Judge Stephanie Cope
Lead Judge for Financial Remedy Work for Bristol

FEB 2021