Private Law

Jason M Hadden specialises in the area of law usually referred to as private law children disputes. This basically means child arrangements involving family members (usually mothers and fathers). When parents cannot agree on arrangements for the care of their children, the case is dealt with as a matter of private law.

 

These can be arguments over where a child(ren) lives, and what time they spend with the other parent. This can get more complicated where there are safeguarding issues – one parents being abusive to the other parent could be considered a safeguarding issue which may restrict the time that one parents spends with the child (ren). Jason has over many years dealt with cases involving the most horrific aspects of violence by one parent to another. Matters of murder, of rape, of domestic violence and of abuse. The court are finally these days becoming more concerned with issue of coercive and controlling behaviour in relationships and the impact on this of safeguarding decisions. Jason has also been involved in many cases involving issues of parental alienation.

 

Jason represents parents in complex cases (and also, happily, relatively straightforward cases) involving children. He undertakes work throughout the UK and internationally.

 

He specialises in the following types of children cases:

• With which parent a child shall live

• What contact, if any the child shall have with the parents

• International abduction cases

• Human rights applications

• What school the child shall attend

• Whether the child should be allowed to go on a holiday with a parent

• How to get a child returned to a parent where retained by the other parent

• Whether the child shall move either within the UK or internationally

• Whether the child should have medical assistance or operations

• What religion the child should be

• Whether parental responsibility should be given to a parent or step parent

• Whether parental responsibility should be removed from a father

• Whether there was violence or abuse in a relationship

• Whether there is parental alienation

• Holiday and celebration days contact

• First appointments (FHDRA)

• Dispute resolution hearings (DRAs)

• Final hearings

• Fact finding hearings

• Permission hearings

• Appeal hearings

 

Jason has been a campaigner for victims of domestic abuse for over twenty years. Their voice, their safety, and their welfare matters.

Jason is a barrister at St Ives Chambers in Birmingham; and, a door tenant at Fourteen Chambers in London. He is passionate about representing his clients. Hard-work, preparation, compassion, and fairness are my go-to virtues. Jason as a media personality is often on the radio and in the press discussing issues around the law, as well as working with charities, academics, and our politicians to challenge and change the law.

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Jason believed that it is vitally important that his clients are given a voice within the proceedings. He has sadly seen to many failings in the system and campaigns for fairness, justice, and equality.

Such is Jason’s practice that he in court representing clients pretty much every day. Jason is often asked whether a barrister or lawyer is really needed in the court process. Jason categorically believes that they are essential. Nothing is more important than our children and our relationship with our children. Having the best representation is absolutely vital within the court process for that relationship.

 

Jason has also written a very popular Guide with Her Honour Judge Davies entitled How to Represent Yourself in the Family Court – as whilst Jason thinks you need to be represented, he accepts that for many due to the cost it is outside their reach, and the next best thing is preparation and hence the book. My Book.