110-629: Fathers 4 Justice (or F4J ) is a fathers' rights organisation in the United Kingdom . Founded in 2003, the group aims to gain public and parliamentary support for changes in UK legislation on fathers' rights, mainly using stunts and protests, often conducted in costume. Fathers 4 Justice was founded in the UK by Matt O'Connor , a marketing consultant. He is the sole shareholder and a director of Fathers For Justice Ltd. On 21 October 2003, campaigners Eddie "Goldtooth" Gorecki and Jonathan "Jolly" Stanesby scaled
220-765: A GPS tracking unit . Former members, who do not agree with Matt O'Connor's leadership, formed the New Fathers 4 Justice group, in 2008. An unintended result of the F4J campaign has been the exposure of flaws in security at Buckingham Palace, resulting in security enquiries or reviews there and at the House of Commons. Fathers%27 rights Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other The fathers' rights movement
330-414: A rebuttable presumption of 50/50 shared custody after divorce or separation, so that children would spend equal time with each parent unless there were reasons against it. They point to studies showing that children in shared custody settings are better adjusted and have fewer social problems such as low academic achievement, crime, substance abuse, depression and suicide, and state that shared parenting
440-463: A "senior junior", may exercise a powerful influence on the members, and members often offer informal help and guidance to each other. They are not liable for each other's business (as partners are). Members of the same set of chambers may appear on opposite sides in the same case. Each barrister remains a self-employed practitioner, being solely responsible for the conduct of their own practice and keeping what they earn, other than rent. They do not receive
550-560: A banner that read "Stop The War On Dads". In July 2011, F4J founder Matt O'Connor staged a hunger strike just outside UK Prime Minister David Cameron 's home in Oxfordshire , demanding that he honour what O'Connor said were pledges about grandparents' rights to see their grandchildren and over shared parenting . In 2012, F4J staged a naked protest inside the Oxford Street branch of retailer Marks and Spencer in order to protest
660-619: A black gown (of a distinct style), wing collar and band and a wig. The question of barristers' and judges' clothing in the civil courts was the subject of review, and there is some pressure to adopt a more "modern" style of dress, with European-style gowns worn over lounge suits. Guidance from the Bar Council has resulted in robes being worn for trials and appeals in the County Court more than formerly. In court, barristers refer to each other as "my learned friend". When referring to an opponent who
770-413: A client are accepted, it is the barrister (rather than the solicitor) who advises and guides the client through the relevant legal procedure or litigation. Barrister must complete a special course before undertaking Public Access work. At present, about 1 in 20 barristers has so qualified. "Licensed Access" is a separate scheme available to certain nominated classes of professional client; it is not open to
880-440: A damaging impact on the field of domestic violence programming and policy by attempting to discredit female victims of violence, to wind back the legal protections available to victims and the sanctions imposed on perpetrators, and to undermine services for the victims of men's violence. Stephen Baskerville asserts that when child abuse occurs the perpetrator is not likely to be the father, and that child abuse most often occurs after
990-514: A grand hall where barristers dine and attend social functions, and include an extensive library. Several rooms are available for conferences and a place for trainee barristers to engage in advocacy practice. Two of the Inns have chapels, and Middle Temple and Inner Temple share Temple Church. All four Inns are set in well-tended gardens and are surrounded by chambers often organised in courtyards and squares. England and Wales has traditionally been divided in
1100-415: A greater corpus of research material and accumulated knowledge on the interpretation and application of the law. Some would go "on circuit" with the court to act on behalf of those requiring representation. By contrast, solicitors were essentially local to one place, whether London or a provincial town. Lawyers who practised in the courts in this way came to be called "barristers" because they were "called to
1210-472: A larger "gender transition movement" and thinks that, similar to women in the 1960s, fathers are transitioning from gender-based to more flexible family roles. Farrell also believes the movement helps children by increasing the number who are raised equally by both parents, which in turn increases the children's social, academic, psychological, and physical benefits—in his opinion it becomes a children's rights issue with fathers acting as advocates. Members of
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#17331054939521320-403: A legal contract. He states that it is not possible to form a binding agreement to create a family, adding that government officials can, at the request of one spouse, end a marriage over the objection of the other. He states that no-fault divorce has left fathers with no protection against what he describes as the confiscation of their children. Baskerville states that fault has entered through
1430-591: A live broadcast of the Rose of Tralee during Cavan Rose Lisa Reilly's interview with host Dáithí Ó Sé . He was removed from the stage by security staff before being taken away by Gardaí . On 4 September 2018, streamed live on the Fathers4Justice Facebook page, Matt O'Connor and his fellow protester Paul Robinson staged a messy protest at an ASDA Supermarket in Peterborough by pouring Coco Pops and milk all over
1540-619: A number of circuits for the purposes of administration of justice. Today, they exist as professional associations for barristers. Members of the public may engage the services of the barrister directly under the Public Access Scheme ; a solicitor is not involved at any stage. Barristers undertaking public access work can provide legal advice and representation in court in all areas of law and are entitled to represent clients in any court or tribunal in England and Wales. Once instructions from
1650-547: A power grab by the parent that initiates the divorce and he also states that fathers have a constitutional right to shared control of their children and through political action they intend to establish parental authority for both parents and for the well-being of their children. Members of the fathers' rights movement state that a rebuttable presumption for shared parenting preserves a child's protection against unfit or violent parents. Pro-feminist sociologist Michael Flood states that supporters of shared parenting use it only as
1760-676: A prefix such as "Miss". Beginning in January 2006, standards for admission to the bar and disciplinary proceedings are administered by the Bar Standards Board (BSB), a regulatory board of the General Council of the Bar . The BSB is not legally separate from the General Council of the Bar, but is set up so as to be independent of it. Previously, barristers were governed by the General Council of
1870-472: A salary from anyone. A barrister in self-employed practice will be instructed by a number of different solicitors ("professional clients") to act for various individuals, government departments, agencies or companies ("lay clients"). By contrast, an "employed" barrister is a barrister who works as an employee within a larger organisation, either in the public or private sector. For example, employed barristers work within government departments or agencies (such as
1980-450: A second adult, and the lack of support from a second extended family system and conclude that it is the negative effects of poverty, and not the absence of a father, that result in negative developmental outcomes. On the other hand, Professor Craig Hart states that although the consequences of poverty and having a single parent are interrelated, each is a risk factor with independent effects on children, and Silverstein and Auerbach state that
2090-544: A section written by Linda Nielsen, "One of the most complex and compelling issues confronting policymakers, parents, and the family court system is what type of parenting plan is most beneficial for children after divorce". Stating that "children need two parents" and that "children have a fundamental human right to an opportunity and relationship with both their mother and father", members of the fathers' rights movement call for greater equality in parental responsibility following separation and divorce. They call for laws creating
2200-425: A solicitor, it became useful, then normal and then compulsory, for the solicitor, in turn, to select and engage a barrister to represent the client before the courts. Likewise, it became either useful or normal (but not compulsory) to engage an appropriate barrister when highly specialist advice was required. Many barristers have largely "paper practices" and rarely or never appear in court. Historically, practising at
2310-413: A study of mothers and children, concluded that there are some advantages to joint custody arrangements; and overall, the degree of conflict between parents impacted the children more than the custody arrangement. Some feminist groups have stated that if shared parenting were ordered, fathers would not provide their share of the daily care for the children. The National Organization For Women also questions
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#17331054939522420-411: A symbolic issue related to "rights", "equality", and "fairness" and that the father's rights movement is not actually interested in the shared care of their children or the children's wishes, adding that fathers' rights groups have advocated policies and strategies that are harmful to mothers and children and also harmful to the fathers themselves. In contrast, social scientist Sanford Braver states that
2530-472: A system whereby the members contribute to these common expenses by paying a certain percentage of their gross income. However, there is no profit-sharing as in a business partnership . Individual barristers keep the fees they earn, beyond what they have to pay towards professional expenses. The Bar remains a highly individualistic profession, and earnings vary widely – from some newly qualified (usually criminal) juniors who are lucky to earn £25,000 per year to
2640-620: A tenancy and choose to go into commercial or academic work. Those choosing not to practice continue to be recognised as "barristers", although may not provide legal services under this label, and remain subject to some limited regulation by the Bar Standards Board. One who wishes to become a practising barrister must first obtain a " pupillage ". This is a competitive process which involves some 3,000 students applying for some 300 places each year at Authorised Education and Training Organisations (AETOs). The online pupillage application system,
2750-425: A waiver from the Bar Standards Board. Pupillage consists of a period of 12 months, where the pupil studies with and under a practising barrister of at least 5 years' experience. The time is traditionally served in two six-month periods under different pupil supervisors(three-month periods are becoming increasingly common), usually in the same AETO. Traditionally, the pupil was paid nothing and could earn no fees until
2860-408: Is a social movement whose members are primarily interested in issues related to family law , including child custody and child support , that affect fathers and their children . Many of its members are fathers who desire to share the parenting of their children equally with their children's mothers—either after divorce or marital separation . The movement includes men as well as women, often
2970-448: Is a solicitor, the term used is "my friend" – irrespective of the relative ages and experiences of the two. In an earlier generation, barristers would not shake hands or address each other formally. The rule against shaking hands is no longer generally observed, though the rule regarding formal address is still sometimes observed: at Gray's Inn , when toasting other barristers, a barrister will address another only by surname, without using
3080-531: Is also possible to "double-dine" on various special occasions, by which the student is credited with two sessions. The origins of this date from the time when both students and practitioners dined together; students learned elements of their education from their fellow diners and from readings given by a senior member of the Inn (Master Reader) after the meal. At the successful completion of the vocational component (where continuous assessment, as well as examinations, are now
3190-504: Is caused by the other parent. Neither PAS nor PAD are accepted by any legal or mental health organization. Despite lobbying, parental alienation syndrome was not included in the draft of the DSM manual that was released in 2010, though parental alienation disorder does appear as a "Condition Proposed by Outside Sources" to be reviewed by a working group. Stephen Baskerville states that laws establishing no-fault divorce did not stop at removing
3300-698: Is entitled to professional privilege against disclosure. New entrants to the employed bar must have completed pupillage in the same way as those in self-employed practice. Pupillage for both employed and self-employed practice is regulated by the independent Bar Standards Board . There are approximately 17,000 barristers, of whom about ten percent are King's Counsel and approximately twenty percent are young barristers (i.e., under seven years' Call). In April 2023, there were 13,800 barristers in self-employed practice. In 2022, there were about 3,100 employed barristers working in companies as "in-house" counsel, or in local or national government, academic institutions, or
3410-712: Is in fact in the best interests of the child. Warren Farrell states that for children, equally shared parenting with three conditions (the child has about equal time with mom and dad, the parents live close enough to each other that the child does not need to forfeit friends or activities when visiting the other parent, and there is no bad-mouthing) is the second best family arrangement to the intact two-parent family, followed by primary father custody and then primary mother custody, and he adds that if shared parenting cannot be agreed upon, children on average are better off psychologically, socially, academically, and physically, have higher levels of empathy and assertiveness, if their father
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3520-441: Is still mandatory to "keep terms" before the student can be called to the bar . The student must participate in 10 qualifying sessions. It used to be a prerequisite that 24 dinners were eaten before call, but the number was reduced to twelve and now ten. Dining credits are available for participating in specified training events (e.g., a weekend at Cumberland Lodge organised by one of the Inns credits attendees with three dinners). It
3630-469: Is taken away from a willing, competent parent. Members of the fathers' rights movement including Ned Holstein state that a rebuttable presumption of shared parenting is supported by a majority of citizens. Baskerville writes that proposals to enact shared parenting laws are opposed by divorce lawyers, and he says that "radical feminist" groups oppose shared parenting because of the possibility of domestic violence and child abuse. Mo Yee Lee, after conducting
3740-400: Is their primary custodial parent rather than their mother. Members of the fathers' rights movement and their critics disagree about the correlation of negative developmental outcomes for children to sole custody situations. Social scientist V. C. McLoyd states that father absence covaries with other relevant family characteristics such as the lack of an income from a male adult, the absence of
3850-547: The Crown Prosecution Service ), the legal departments of companies, and in some cases for firms of solicitors. Employed barristers will typically be paid a salary, and in most circumstances may do work only on behalf of their employer, rather than accepting instructions on behalf of third parties (such as their employers' customers). They remain subject to the Bar Council 's Code of Professional Conduct, and their advice
3960-512: The Royal Courts of Justice , dressed respectively as Batman and Robin . The following day, the group's members protested through London in a military tank in support of Goreckwi and Stanesby. Nine days later, David Chick climbed a 120 feet (37 m) crane near Tower Bridge , London while dressed as Spider-Man . The Metropolitan Police set up a cordon around the area that disrupted traffic through some of East London for several days. Chick
4070-468: The practice of law . Historically, the superior courts were based in London , the capital city. To dispense justice throughout the country, a judge and court personnel would periodically travel a regional circuit to deal with cases that had arisen there. From this developed a body of lawyers who were on socially familiar terms with the judges, had training and experience in the superior courts, and had access to
4180-472: The "chattering stage". Four months later the group was refounded. Legal scholar Richard Collier writes that fathers' rights activists often base their arguments for reform on "anecdotal evidence and assertion" rather than "evidence-backed research", and argues that implementing their proposed changes to the law "may have potentially deleterious consequences" for mothers and children. Collier, along with researchers Martha Fineman and Michael Flood , have said
4290-532: The 1970s. In the late twentieth century, the growth of the internet permitted wider discussion, publicity and activism about issues of interest to fathers' rights activists. Factors thought to contribute to the development of the fathers' rights movement include shifting household demographics brought about by rising divorce and falling marriage rates, changes in the understanding and expectations of fatherhood, motherhood and childhood as well as shifts in how legal systems impact families. Fathers' rights groups in
4400-502: The 20th century, solicitors closed the gap greatly, especially in terms of earnings, and by the early 21st century the social gap was far less important than formerly. Until recently, the most obvious differences between the two professions were: These differences have been eroded by recent deliberate changes, although in many fields of legal practice, the distinction is largely retained. Barristers have full rights of audience to appear in all courts, from highest to lowest. Solicitors, on
4510-476: The BSB Handbook. A barrister is in principle required to act for any client offering a proper fee, regardless of the attractions or disadvantages of a case and the personal feelings of the barrister towards the client. This is known as the " cab-rank rule ", since the same rule applies to licensed taxi-cabs. Modifying conditions include that the barrister is available to take the case and feels competent to handle
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4620-605: The Bar and the individual Inns of Court . There are four Inns, all situated in the area of London close to the Law Courts in the Strand . Gray's Inn is off High Holborn , Lincoln's Inn off Chancery Lane , the Middle and Inner Temples , situated between Fleet Street and the Embankment . The Inns provide a social and professional hub where barristers and jurists can meet. They comprise
4730-459: The Bar", the symbolic barrier separating the public—including solicitors and law students—from those admitted to the well of the Court. They became specialists either in appearing in court to represent clients, or in the process of using the courts, which would include giving oral or written advice on the strength of a case and the best way to conduct it. For those who had the means and preference to engage
4840-622: The CPE ( Common Professional Examination ) or PGDL (Postgraduate Diploma in Law), and now known simply as a GDL (Graduate Diploma in Law), having initially graduated in a subject other than law. The student joins one of the Inns of Court and takes the [vocational component] at one of the accredited providers. Formerly known as the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), the vocational component can now be taken through four different routes: It
4950-510: The FRM support the end of the no-fault principle in child custody and divorce decisions. Some members of the fathers' rights movement state that the availability of divorce should also be limited. Barristers in England and Wales Barristers in England and Wales are one of the two main categories of lawyer in England and Wales , the other being solicitors . Barristers have traditionally had
5060-644: The Lone Fathers Association have campaigned for fathers' rights over many decades. Longer lasting organizations appear to result from the longterm dedication and commitment of key individuals. Other fathers' rights groups have tended to form and dissolve quickly. Internal disagreements over ideology and tactics are common, and members tend not to remain with the groups after they have been helped. The fathers' rights movement has both liberal and conservative branches, with different viewpoints about how men and women compare. Although both groups agree on
5170-521: The Pupillage Gateway, enables applicants to submit their details to AETOs (chambers or employers). The Pupillage Gateway system is used by most AETOs to recruit their pupils; many, however, do not, and such AETOs must be contacted directly by applicants. There is no limit to the number of non-Gateway AETOs that an applicant can contact. The application timetable runs between November and May each year, and AETOs must follow that timetable unless they have
5280-405: The U.S. adult population has either been subjected to pay child support or has received it." Members of the fathers' rights movement campaign for the reform of child support guidelines, which in most Western countries are based on maintaining the children's standard of living after separation, and on the assumption that the children live with one parent and never with the other. Activists state that
5390-448: The West are primarily composed of white, middle or working class , heterosexual men. Members tend to be politically conservative but do not share a single set of political or social views and are highly diverse in their goals and methods. Members of the fathers' rights movement advocate for strong relationships with their children and focus on a narrowly defined set of issues based on
5500-549: The alleged plot and threatened to shut down the group because of it. Within days, Fathers 4 Justice had been disbanded. The group re-formed in May of the same year and protested during the showing of the BBC lottery show The National Lottery: Jet Set . The show was taken off-air for several minutes after six Fathers 4 Justice protesters ran from the audience onto the stage displaying posters. In March 2006, F4J member and barrister Michael Cox
5610-531: The armed forces. The appearance and form of address of a barrister is bound by a number of conventions. A barrister's appearance in court depends on whether the hearing is "robed" or not. In England and Wales, criminal cases in the Crown Court are almost invariably conducted with the barristers' wearing robes, but there is an increasing tendency in civil cases to dispense with them. The vast majority of County Court hearings are now conducted without robes, although
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#17331054939525720-405: The back door in the form of child custody hearings, and that the forcibly divorced spouse ("defendant") is presumed guilty. Similarly, other members of the fathers' rights movement believe that men fail to get appropriate recognition of their innocence as a result of no-fault divorce. Stephen Baskerville proposes "reasonable limits" on no-fault divorce when children are involved. Some members of
5830-500: The bad divorced dad image is a myth that has led to harmful and dangerous social policies. Some fathers' rights activists object to the term "visitation", which they see as denigrating to their level of authority as parents, and instead prefer the use of "parenting time". From the source Northwestern University Law Review. Authors Tait, Anderson explained that "child support is a ubiquitous kind of debt, common to all income and wealth levels, with data showing that approximately 30% of
5940-619: The balcony of the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel to protest what he asserted to be the inequality of fathers' treatment in family court cases during a CAFCASS conference at the hotel. The protest came to an end when sprinklers flooded the hotel. On 8 January 2014, Tim Haries was found guilty of defacing the portrait of the Queen. On 5 February 2014, Haries was sentenced by Judge McCreath at Southwark Crown Court to six months in custody. On 30 November 2015, two men involved with
6050-475: The bar (or in court) was a more socially prestigious profession than working as a solicitor. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the bar was one of the limited number of professions considered suitable for upper-class men; politics, the Army and Navy , the established clergy, banking and the civil and diplomatic services being the others. Many leading 18th- and 19th-century politicians were barristers; few were solicitors. In
6160-424: The barrister, being one step removed from the client, could reach a more objective opinion of the merits of the case, working strictly from the evidence that would be admissible in court. In addition, being less involved in the current affairs of clients, including many matters that might never come to court, barristers had more time for research and for keeping up to date with the law and the decisions ( precedent ) of
6270-423: The charge of committing a public nuisance offence. During January 2006, the newspaper The Sun published a story in which it claimed F4J members planned to kidnap Leo Blair , the young son of former Prime Minister Tony Blair "for a few hours as a symbolic gesture". The police said they were aware of such a plan, but added it had probably never progressed beyond the "chattering stage". Founder O'Connor condemned
6380-439: The children) of these fathers by counting these contributions as child support. Members of the fathers' rights movement state that child support should be terminated under certain conditions, such as if the custodial parent limits access to the children by moving away against the wishes of the other parent, gives fraudulent testimony, or if paternity fraud is discovered, adding that two men should not have to pay child support for
6490-541: The concerns of divorced or divorcing men. Women, often new partners including second wives or other family members of men who have had some engagement with family law and mothers without custody, are also members of the fathers' rights movement, and fathers' rights activists emphasize this. Two studies of fathers' rights groups in North America found that fifteen percent of their members were women. The fathers' rights movement organizations Families Need Fathers and
6600-547: The courts are biased against fathers while in reality the vast majority of cases are settled by private agreement and fathers voluntarily relinquish primary custody of their children, which explains the lower percentage of custodial fathers; and that the "bias" of courts is in favour of the primary caregiver, not mothers per se. Collier writes that fathers' rights activists "misread the gendered nature of law's regulation of shared parenting historically". According to sociologist Michael Flood, father's rights activists have exaggerated
6710-506: The courts support and benefit from the separation of children from their parents and that family law today represents civil rights abuses and intrusive perversion of government power. Others contest these conclusions, stating that family courts are biased in favor of fathers and that the lower percentage of separated fathers as custodial parents is a result of choices made by fathers rather than bias of family courts. Other writers state that fathers' rights activists incorrectly maintain that
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#17331054939526820-456: The courts, Lawyers and advocates for abused women assert that family court proceedings are commonly accompanied with allegations of domestic violence because of the prevalence of domestic violence in society rather than as a result of false allegations of domestic violence. They also assert that domestic violence often begins or increases around the time of divorce or separation. Sociologist Michael Flood argues that fathers' rights groups have had
6930-464: The courts. Theoretically, this prohibition has been removed. In certain areas (but not crime or conveyancing ), barristers may now accept instructions from a client directly ("Direct Access"). However, barristers must have additional authorisation to conduct litigation for the client. Furthermore, only a solicitor may undertake any work that requires funds to be held on behalf of a client; barristers are not permitted to handle client money under rC73 of
7040-510: The current guidelines are arbitrary, provide mothers with financial incentives to divorce, and leave fathers with little discretionary income to enjoy with the children during their parenting time. In the US, fathers' rights activists propose guidelines based on a Cost Shares model, in which child support would be based on the average income of the parents and the estimated child costs incurred by both parents. Laura W. Morgan has stated that it focuses on
7150-406: The custodial parent's relocation beyond a practical distance from the noncustodial parent and they campaign for a rebuttable presumption prohibiting such relocations. Fathers' rights activists have also advocated for the inclusion of parental alienation syndrome, a proposed syndrome developed by Richard A. Gardner that alleges unjustified disruption of the relationship between a parent and a child
7260-479: The disparity in custody awards between mothers and fathers, and ignored the fact that in the vast majority of cases, fathers voluntarily relinquish custody of their children through private arrangements; either because they are willing to do so, or because they do not expect a favorable court ruling. According to the BBC, "Custody law is perhaps the best-known area of men's rights activism". Journal Of Divorce and Remarriage
7370-420: The distinction between solicitors and barristers. The distinction remains, however, because a solicitor's role has certain aspects which a barrister is not able to undertake. A prospective barrister must first complete the academic component of their legal education by obtaining a law degree . In lieu of a formal law degree, however, the individual may undertake a one-year law conversion course, formerly known as
7480-520: The entrances of many of the staircases of the buildings within the Inns are the names of the tenant barristers (and occasionally distinguished members now prominent in judicial or political life) practising from the chambers in those buildings. Some of the principles and traditions that have given the profession its unique character have been caricatured in John Mortimer 's Rumpole of the Bailey tales and
7590-443: The family court system itself. Fathers' rights groups also provide emotional and practical support for members during separation and divorce. The fathers' rights movement is considered to be a part of the broader manosphere , a set of Internet forums promoting masculinity along with opposition to feminism. Some fathers' rights groups have become frustrated with the slow pace of traditional campaigning for law reform; groups such as
7700-512: The father has been separated from his children. Baskerville proposes that domestic violence and child abuse must be adjudicated as criminal assault, observing due process protections, and that government funding for programs addressing these issues must be made contingent on such protections. Glenn Sacks states that some mothers interfere with the father's parenting time and that such interference should be stopped. Sacks and Jeffery M. Leving state that parenting time interference can result from
7810-519: The fathers' rights movement as one of three strands within the men's movement that deal almost exclusively with fatherhood, the other two being the good fathers' movement and groups forming the Christian Men's movement – the Promise Keepers being the largest. Warren Farrell , a veteran of the women's, men's and fathers' movement since the 1970s, describes the fathers' rights movement as part of
7920-505: The fathers' rights movement assert that fathers are discriminated against as a result of gender bias in family law; that custody decisions have been a denial of equal rights; and that the influence of money has corrupted family law. The movement's primary focus has been to campaign (including lobbying and research) for formal equal rights for fathers, and sometimes for children, and to campaign for changes to family law related to child custody, support and maintenance, domestic violence and
8030-510: The fathers' rights movement assert that some women make false claims of domestic violence, sexual or child abuse in order to gain an upper hand in divorce, custody disputes and/or prevent fathers from seeing their children, and they state that lawyers advise women to make such claims. They state that false claims of domestic violence and child abuse are encouraged by the inflammatory "win or lose" nature of child custody hearings, that men are presumed to be guilty rather than innocent by police and by
8140-421: The floor in the cereal isle. The pair claimed that Kellogg's latest slogan "Loved By Kids, Approved By Mums" was promoting cereal discrimination against dads. The pair had paid for the items afterwards when the police were called to the protest. Members of the group have been accused of conducting intimidating attacks in order to upset court staff, family lawyers and Members of Parliament. During protests outside
8250-402: The framework of a set of Chambers. Under a tenancy agreement, they pay a certain amount per month ("rent") or a percentage of their incomes, or a mixture of the two, to their chambers, which provides accommodation and clerical support (including the crucial function of booking, and sometimes of finding, work). The Head of Chambers, usually a King's Counsel (also referred to as "KC" or "Silk") or
8360-482: The general public. It is an early 21st-century development to enable barristers to accept instructions directly from clients; it results from a change in the rules set down by the General Council of the Bar in July 2004. The Public Access Scheme has been introduced as part of a larger effort to open up the legal system to the public, and to make it easier and cheaper for individuals to obtain access to legal advice. It reduces
8470-411: The group were arrested after a few hours of standing on the roof of Queens Gallery, an art gallery on Buckingham Palace grounds. Three Fathers4Justice protesters stormed the stage of ITV's Loose Women shouting "No Kids No Cash", on 15 June 2016. The show was briefly taken off air. On 22 August 2016, Matt O’Connor, a 49-year-old campaigner for Fathers4Justice, walked on stage dressed as a priest during
8580-403: The motives of those promoting shared parenting, noting that it would result in substantial decreases in or termination of child support payments. Stephen Baskerville states that shared parenting has been demonstrated to reduce parental conflict by requiring parents to cooperate and compromise, and that it is the lack of constraint by one parent resulting from the ability of that parent to exclude
8690-502: The movement argue that fathers' groups ignore actual trends in family law that seek to affirm the symbolic importance of fathers within a heteronormative family structure. Stephen Baskerville , president of the American Coalition of Fathers and Children and fathers' rights advocate, defines court-determined custody as not a right to parent one's children but as the power to prevent the other partner from parenting. He states that
8800-491: The movement perpetuates negative stereotypes of women as hostile, deceptive, vindictive, and irresponsible as well as the stereotype that women are out to take advantage of men financially. Collier links such negative views of women with ideas of a crisis of masculinity within the broader men's movement, often in tandem with "virulent" anti-feminism . Members of the fathers' rights movement state that family courts are biased against fathers and shared custody . Critics of
8910-518: The negative outcomes for children in sole custody situations correlate more strongly to "fatherlessness" than to any other variable including poverty. Members of the fathers' rights movement criticize the best interests of the child standard currently used in many countries for making custody decisions, which they describe as highly subjective and based on the personal prejudices of family court judges and court-appointed child custody evaluators, and that courts are abusive when more than half custody
9020-408: The new barrister must find a seat or "tenancy" in a set of chambers or an employed position. Chambers are groups of barristers and tend to comprise between 20 and 60 barristers. The members of a Chambers share the rent and facilities, such as the service of "clerks" (who combine some of the functions of agents, administrators and diary managers), secretaries and other support staff. Most chambers operate
9130-723: The offices of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), individual case workers were identified by name. One office of CAFCASS was forcibly entered by F4J members, who detained an unnamed employee. No criminal proceedings are known to have resulted. Former members of the group have claimed Fathers4Justice/the Matt O' Connor family, have "lost its way" by being sidetracked from reforming family law, and descending into personal attacks on Twitter, libel (for which they were sued), and allegations of illegal acts such as putting an MP under surveillance and tracking her movements with
9240-468: The originally UK-based Fathers 4 Justice have become increasingly vocal and visible, undertaking public demonstrations that have attracted public attention and influenced the politics of family justice. Following protests, some fathers' rights activists have been convicted of offenses such as harassment and assault. Fathers' rights groups have condemned threats and violent acts, with Matt O'Connor of Fathers 4 Justice asserting that his organization
9350-454: The other hand, have traditionally been able to appear only as advocates in the lower courts (that is, the magistrates' and county courts) and tribunals . The bulk of such work continues to be handled by solicitors. Under section 17 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 , solicitors with appropriate advocacy experience are entitled to acquire higher "rights of audience", enabling them to appear in
9460-417: The other might). Until 2004, barristers were prohibited from seeking or accepting "instructions" (that is, being hired) directly by the clients whom they represent. The involvement of a solicitor was compulsory. The rationale was that solicitors could investigate and gather evidence and instructions and filter them – according to the interests of the client – before presenting them to the barrister; in return
9570-501: The other, that results in increased parental conflict. He further states that only when child support guidelines exceed true costs do parents ask for or seek to prevent changes in parenting time for financial reasons, adding that any argument that a parent is asking for increased parenting time to reduce child support is at the same time an argument that the other parent is making a profit from child support. Stephen Baskerville describes no-fault or unilateral divorce based on no fault as
9680-681: The outcome of divorce is overly one-sided and is initiated by mothers in more than two-thirds of cases – especially when children are involved. He also states that divorce provides advantages for women such as automatic custody of the children and financial benefits in the form of child support payments. Members of the FR movement also state that family courts are slow to help fathers enforce their parental rights, and are expensive and time-consuming. Baskerville has also stated that family courts are secretive, censoring and punitive towards fathers who criticize them. He also claims that employees and activists within
9790-544: The pair, Mark Harris, said he wanted fathers to have the same rights as their children's mothers' new partners. He also said they would not come down unless Harman read her book, Family Court Hell . In the same month, Bristol Family Court was evacuated after a fire alarm was set off in the building during a F4J protest outside the building. On 9 July 2008, Fathers 4 Justice members Nigel Ace and Tony Ashby, this time in Spider-Man and Batman outfits, climbed Harman's roof and draped
9900-656: The purpose of child support should be publicly determined, and enforcement programs must be designed to serve that purpose, observing the due process of law. Some legal scholars and feminist writers have said that the fathers' rights movement puts the interests of fathers above the interests of children, for example by suggesting that it is acceptable for fathers to withdraw child support if they are not given access to their children, or by lobbying for changes in family law that would allegedly heighten children's exposure to abusive fathers, and would allegedly further endanger mothers who are victims of domestic violence. Supporters of
10010-406: The relative living standards of divorcing parents rather than the best interests of the children and financially supporting them at the same level after divorce. Solangel Maldonado states that the law should value a broader definition of fathering for poor fathers by reducing the focus on collecting child support and encouraging the informal contributions (such as groceries, clothes, toys, time with
10120-469: The requirement that grounds be cited for a divorce, so as to allow for divorce by "mutual consent"; it also allows either spouse to end the marriage without any agreement or fault by the other. Phyllis Schlafly states that no-fault divorce should be referred to as unilateral divorce. Stephen Baskerville states that laws establishing no-fault divorce can be seen as one of the boldest social experiments in modern history that have effectively ended marriage as
10230-439: The role of handling cases for representation in court, both defence and prosecution. (The word "lawyer" is a generic term, referring to a person who practises in law, which could also be deemed to include other legal practitioners such as chartered legal executives.) The work of senior legal professionals in England and Wales is divided between solicitors and barristers . Both are trained in law but serve differing functions in
10340-643: The rule), and completion of the requisite number of dining nights, students are entitled, subject to various formalities, to be "called to the Bar" at a ceremony in their Inn. This is conducted by the Masters of the Bench, or Benchers , who are generally senior practising barristers or judges. Once called to the bar, the new barrister has a choice whether or not to pursue a career in practice. As there are far more applicants for "tenancy" in barristers' "Chambers" (see below) than there are places, many barristers are unable to obtain
10450-440: The same child. Stephen Baskerville states that it is often difficult for fathers in financial hardship or who take on a larger caregiving role with their children to have their child support payments lowered. He also states that unemployment is the primary cause of child support arrears, and further states that these arrearages make the father subject to arrest and imprisonment without due process. Stephen Baskerville states that
10560-800: The second six-month period, when he or she was entitled to undertake work independently. All sets are now required to pay their pupils in line with the Living Wage (higher in London). Some pay considerably more than that. The Bar is a highly varied profession, both in terms of the specialism (or otherwise) of individual sets of chambers, and in the financial rewards available. For sets doing predominantly publicly funded work, earnings are low for new practitioners. In more specialised areas serving private clients, such as commercial, tax, or chancery work, earnings are far higher, and at least comparable to those of similarly experienced solicitors in big city firms. After pupillage,
10670-515: The second wives of divorced fathers or other family members of men who have had some engagement with family law . Most Fathers' rights advocates argue for formal gender equality . The fathers' rights movement exists almost exclusively in industrialized countries , where divorce has become more common. It emerged in the West from the 1960s onwards as part of the men's movement with organizations such as Families Need Fathers , which originated in
10780-813: The shop's advertising on parenting website Mumsnet , which F4J believes "promotes gender hatred". In June 2013, Paul Manning glued a picture of his 11-year-old son to John Constable 's 1821 painting The Hay Wain in the National Gallery in London. Two weeks earlier, Tim Haries had spraypainted the word "Help" on a portrait of Queen Elizabeth at Westminster Abbey . The group's founder, Matt O'Connor, announced that he would target other art works in order to highlight his campaign. Fathers 4 Justice publicly withdrew support for Manning in January 2014, following alleged breaches of their Terms & Conditions . On 9 August 2013, Fathers 4 Justice protester Martyn Judd climbed onto
10890-447: The superior courts. Solicitors who attain these rights are known as solicitor-advocates . But, in practice, there are rather few of these solicitor-advocates, and solicitors often continue to engage a barrister to undertake any required advocacy in court. Not only is this division traditional; in higher-value civil or more serious criminal cases, it is often tactically imperative to engage a specialist advocate (because if one side does not
11000-475: The television episodes based on them. Novelist Caro Fraser also wrote a popular series of books about a fictional series of barrister's chambers called Caper Court. In television the bar was popularised by actor John Thaw 's portrayal of the title character in Kavanagh QC . Peter Moffat (who created Kavanagh QC ) also later created a further television series about barristers called Silk (in reference to
11110-402: The top King's Counsel (KCs or "silks" as they are known, from their silk gowns) making well in excess of £1 million a year (with a handful of tax and commercial KCs reported to earn more than £2 million a year). Although not all barristers practise from the Inns (for reasons such as the limited amount of space available), the majority still practise from chambers. The names placed on boards at
11220-559: The traditional attire continues to be worn in High Court proceedings. At a robed hearing, barristers wear a horsehair wig , an open black gown , dark suit and a shirt, with strips of white cotton called "bands" or "tabs" worn over a winged collar, instead of a tie. Female barristers wear either the same shirt or a special collar which includes the bands and tucks inside a suit jacket. KCs wear slightly different silk gowns over short embroidered black jackets and striped trousers. Solicitors wear
11330-524: The victimization and discrimination against men, they disagree on why men and women differ ( nature versus nurture ) and traditional gender roles . The liberal version believes the differences between the genders are due to culture and supports equality between men and women; in contrast, the conservative branch believes in traditional patriarchal / complementary families and that the differences between genders are due to biology . Ross Parke and Armin Brott view
11440-854: The walls of Buckingham Palace dressed as Batman. All charges relating to his protest were later dropped. Also in September, David Chick climbed the London Eye , forcing the attraction to close. He was found not guilty of charges of causing a public nuisance . In May 2005, campaigners dressed as superheroes protested on top of the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield during the World Snooker Championship . Protester Ray Barry climbed St Peter's Collegiate Church in Wolverhampton on Fathers Day in 2005. He
11550-554: The work (rC30 of the BSB Handbook). A barrister who specialises in, for example, crime is not obliged to take on employment law work if they are offered it. They are entitled (and even obliged) to reject a case which they feel is too complicated for them to deal with properly. Barristers work in two main contexts: in self-employed practice (formerly known as "independent practice") or in "employed" practice (i.e. salaried). Most barristers are in self-employed practice, but operate within
11660-617: Was caused when two members of the group threw purple flour bombs at Tony Blair during Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons . Charged with public order offences, activist Guy Harrison was fined £600, and Ron Davis given a conditional discharge . Following the House of Commons incident, The Times wrote that the group "has succeeded in becoming the most prominent guerrilla pressure group in Britain ... within eighteen months of its founding". In September 2004, member Jason Hatch climbed
11770-464: Was cleared of a public order offence charge, and then repeated the protest on Christmas Day . Five years later, campaigners interrupted an interview with Steve Davis , causing the BBC to cut to a pre-recorded video segment. On 27 September 2005, protester Guy Harrison climbed the Palace of Westminster unveiling a banner stating "Does Blair care? For Fawkes sake change family law". A jury acquitted him of
11880-423: Was committed to "peaceful, non-violent direct action" and that members caught engaging in intimidation would be expelled. An example of this was in January 2006, when Matt temporarily disbanded the group after it was revealed that a fringe subsection of members were plotting to kidnap Leo Blair , the young son of Tony Blair , the former UK Prime Minister . According to the police, the plot never progressed beyond
11990-646: Was jailed for refusing to pay money he owed to the Child Support Agency . Cox told a hearing in Southampton he refused to pay on principle, as he had joint custody of his children, and his former wife wrote to the court in support of him. On 8 June 2008, two fathers from Fathers 4 Justice climbed onto the roof of Labour Party deputy leader Harriet Harman 's house wearing superhero-style costumes and calling themselves "Captain Conception" and "Cash Gordon". One of
12100-454: Was subsequently cleared of criminal charges. In 2004, Stanesby carried out a " citizen's arrest " of the then Minister of State for Children Margaret Hodge at a conference, handcuffing himself to her and stating: "Margaret Hodge, I'm arresting you for covering up child abuse." Both Stanseby and Jason Hatch (who had also attempted to handcuff himself to Hodge) were later cleared by a jury of charges of false imprisonment . On 19 May 2004, an alert
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