Your McKenzie Friend provide an affordable alternative to the legal profession, in offering lay advice and support to clients in many legal matters, both in and outside of court. To ensure that we continue to provide our clients with an effective, reliable, and cost efficient service, we do need your help to ensure that things run smoothly.
So, may we just bring to your attention the following guidelines:
- Court Hearings & Meetings
If you have asked us to attend court or a meeting with you, it is important that you confirm this appointment with us a day before the court hearing or meeting, at the very latest. We will always try to contact you before the day of the court hearing or meeting. If you do not receive any communication from us then you need to find out why. To enable us to attend court or a meeting with you, it is important that you have made cleared payments to us and have received confirmation of your payment from us beforehand (as clearly stated in the initial telephone conversation that we have with you and/or the initial e-mail that we send to you). If you have not confirmed our attendance, or you have not made cleared payments, you have to assume that we will not be attending your appointment.
We received a call from someone on the morning of their court hearing, enquiring as to our whereabouts. This person had not made any payment to us and had not responded to our e-mails or telephone calls asking them to confirm their appointment. We were then accused by them of simply not turning up at the County Court. Had this person checked their e-mails, noted telephone calls, and called us prior to the appointment, this situation could have been avoided.
- Cases Involving Children
In cases involving disputes over children, it is our duty to put the best interests of the child first. We will not support any person that does not share these views, both from a moral and legal perspective.
We have been asked on a number of occasions, and we have always refused, to support mothers and fathers whose underlying intention, and without valid reason, was to obstruct or to prevent their child from having any contact with the other parent. This is not in the child’s best interests, despite a parent thinking that they may know what is best. We have also been criticised by these same people for not supporting them with their less than moral intentions. This is wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Your child should not be used as a pawn in any game or battle that you have with another person. Should we start work on your case, and later learn of your immoral intentions, we will stop any further work immediately.
The law makes it very clear that children should have reasonable contact with both parents, unless there are serious welfare issues.
We do not want to appear as if we are moaning about these things, but we hope to continue to offer the high level of service that our clients have come to expect from us. We can only do this with your help, understanding and support.
Steve Young
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