Landmark Cases in Family Law

Family law cases tend to raise highly controversial issues, often on striking facts, frequently provoking wider social debate and/or extensive publicity. For both England and Wales, there are a number of important landmark cases in the development of family law which deserve detailed examination and lend themselves particularly well to historical examination. The cases chosen for this collection provide considerable scope, not only for doctrinal analysis and explanation of the importance and impact of the decisions, but also for in-depth examination of the social or policy developments that influenced them. The stories behind these cases provide a fascinating insight into the complexities of family life and the drama that can be found in the family courts. In recent years, family law has seen enormous changes in law's engagement with the notion of 'family,' with the enactment, for example, of the UK's Civil Partnership Act 2004, the Gender Recognition Act 2004, and, more recently, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008. As we begin to move forward in the new millennium, this is an excellent time to engage in detailed analysis and 'stock-taking' of these landmark decisions, many of which were decided in the 1970s, and which have shaped modern family law.

Stephen Gilmore is Senior Lecturer in Family Law at King's College London.Jonathan Herring is a Professor of Law at Oxford University and a Fellow of Exeter College. Rebecca Probert is Professor of Law at the University of Warwick.