Family Justice Council Debates
The Family Justice Council hosts an annual debate each December. This is run as a hybrid event with members of the public and family justice system stakeholders attending in person and online. The annual debate offers a chance to look at both sides of a current issue in Family Justice.
Details about how to attend future debates will be published in advance.
Previous debates
2024: ‘Has the time come to widen the scope of legal parentage?’
The Family Justice Council successfully held its 17th Annual Debate and panel discussion in London on 7 December. This was a hybrid event, with around 100 joining online.
The motion was: ‘Has the time come to widen the scope of legal parentage?’
Pictured below are the speakers with the Chair of the Family Justice Council, Sir Andrew McFarlane. We are grateful to the speakers for their contribution to the debate.
From left to right, they are: Andrew Powell, barrister; Dr Sophie Zadeh, Reader in Family Psychology; Natalie Gamble, solicitor; Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division and Chair of the Family Justice Council; Dr Dafni Lima, Assistant Professor in Family Law; Susannah Johnson KC, barrister; and Simon Rowbotham, barrister.
You can watch selected recordings of the event below, or go to YouTube for the full playlist.
2023: ‘Should cohabiting couples have the same financial rights and responsibilities as those who are married/in a civil partnership?’
The Family Justice Council successfully held its 16th Annual Debate and panel discussion in London on 7 December. This was a hybrid event, with over 120 joining online.
The motion was: ‘Should cohabiting couples have the same financial rights and responsibilities as those who are married/in a Civil Partnership?’
Pictured below are the speakers with the Chair of the Family Justice Council Sir Andrew McFarlane.
From left to right: Dr Sheena Webb -Consultant Clinical Psychologist (speaking on behalf of person with lived experience), Michael Horton KC – Barrister, Dr Andy Hayward – Professor at Durham Law School, Sir Andrew McFarlane – President of the Family Division and Chair of the Family Justice Council, Sir Paul Coleridge – Chair of the Marriage Foundation and retired High Court Judge, Elizabeth Darlington MCIArb – Barrister, Professor Rebecca Bailey-Harris – Barrister.
You can watch partial recordings of the event below. The full recording can be found here.
2022: ‘Should remote hearings continue to play a significant role in family cases?’
The Family Justice Council held its 15th Annual Debate on Tuesday 6 December 2022, ‘Should remote hearings continue to play a significant role in family cases?’.
The recording is now available to view on the website.
2021: ‘Should the age of majority be reduced to 16?’
The latest Family Justice Council debate:
Family Justice Council – 14th Annual Debate – ‘Should the age of majority be reduced to 16?’
The Family Justice Council held its 14th Annual Debate and panel discussion in London which was live streamed via Microsoft Teams to audiences at home – a first for the event.
Watch the full live stream and clips from the Family Justice Council 14th Annual Debate.
Pre-2021 debates
Debates prior to 2021 were not recorded. Information about the motions and speakers is available through the links below[LP1] .
- Family Justice Council 13th Annual Debate (December 2019)
- Family Justice Council 12th Annual Debate (October 2018)
- Family Justice Council 11th Annual Debate (November 2017)
- Family Justice Council 10th Annual Debate (December 2016)
- Family Justice Council 9th Annual Debate (November 2015)
- Family Justice Council 8th Annual Debate (November 2014)
- Family Justice Council 7th Annual Debate (November 2013)
- Family Justice Council 6th Annual Debate (December 2012)
- Family Justice Council 5th Annual Debate (December 2011)
- Family Justice Council 4th Annual Debate (December 2010)
- Family Justice Council 3rd Annual Debate (December 2009)