Telephone 0844 561 7135
[email protected]
Frances Judd QC, MFCIArb
Called:
1984
Silk Date:
2006
Email:
[email protected]
Family Profile
Frances was educated at Cambridge University and was called to the Bar in 1984.
She took silk in 2006.
She was appointed a Recorder in 2002 and was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge in
2011.
She was elected Head of Harcourt Chambers in 2009.
She is recommended in the Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession ('The absolutely
fantastic Frances Judd QC is measured, hard working, and thoroughly prepared') and in the
Legal 500 where she is described as being 'calm under pressure, showing great empathy
with clients'. Frances has specialized in children's law for 25 years, in both public and
private law work.
PUBLIC LAW
Frances has extensive experience in public law cases, being regularly briefed by local
authorities, parents and guardians, both with and without a junior. She has particular
expertise in the following areas, regularly appearing in the High Court to deal with the
following:-
London
2 Harcourt Buildings
London EC4Y 9DB DX 373 LDE
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (020) 7353 6968
Page 1 of 4
Oxford
Churchill House
3 St Aldates's, Oxford
OX1 1BN DX 96453 Oxford 4
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (01865) 791 585
Telephone 0844 561 7135
[email protected]
cases of alleged child sexual abuse, historic and recent;
cases involving vulnerable witnesses and the evidence of children;
cases involving the evaluation of police, local authority and medical investigations;
cases of severe physical injury or death, where the medical evidence is complex, in
particular so called 'shaken baby syndrome', factitious or induced illness, fractures;
allegations of smothering; sudden infant death;
allegations of domestic abuse, intimidation, forced marriage; child trafficking;
allegations of witchcraft/ritual abuse
She has a strong interest in all aspects of the law of adoption, having appeared in numerous
leading cases in the Court of Appeal.
She has an interest in the role of the media in family cases, and regularly advises on the
merits of applying to restrict or allow reporting of matters concerning children and their
parents.
PRIVATE LAW
Frances has a strong private law practice dealing with international and domestic relocation
cases, surrogacy, parental responsibility, contact and residence. She is the co-author of
a book on Relocation published in 2013 by Jordans.
APPEALS
Frances is always happy to advise on the merits of appeal. She regularly appears in the
Court of Appeal and has acted for the Guardian in two cases in the Supreme Court
PUBLICATIONS
Frances is co-author (with Damain Garrido and Rob George of these chambers, and Anna
Worwood of Penningtons Manches) of 'Relocation: A Practical Guide' published by Jordans
in 2013, with a foreword by Lady Justice Black.
Frances is the co-author of a book on private law 'Contact: the New Deal' (Jordans 2006),
and on the 'Public Law Outline' (Jordans 2008). She has written and lectured extensively on
the law of relocation, including an article with Dr. Robert George; 'International Relocation:
Do we stand alone? [2010] Fam Law 63'
She regularly gives lectures for Butterworth's, Jordan's and the Association of Lawyers for
Children, on a range of topics including non-accidental injury and expert evidence, privacy
in the family courts, relocation, shared residence and contact.
London
2 Harcourt Buildings
London EC4Y 9DB DX 373 LDE
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (020) 7353 6968
Page 2 of 4
Oxford
Churchill House
3 St Aldates's, Oxford
OX1 1BN DX 96453 Oxford 4
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (01865) 791 585
Telephone 0844 561 7135
[email protected]
MEMBERSHIPS
Frances is Vice-Chairman of the Family Law Bar Association (FLBA) and a former national
committee member of both the FLBA and the Association of Lawyers for Children.
RECENT CASES
In the last year Frances has appeared in numerous cases in the High Court and the Court of
Appeal.
Examples of recent cases include successfully defending a mother against allegations she
had smothered and killed two of her children and applying for a reporting restriction order in
the same case, successfully defending a mother accused of sexually abusing her
daughters, successfully defending a young father accused of sexually abusing his stepdaughter, defending parents in several cases where they were alleged to have caused
death by shaking, representing a mother who had been forced into marriage and was
repeatedly assaulted by her husband and other relatives, representing a 15 year old girl who
was the subject of an illegal adoption, representing the local authority in a case where foster
parents wished to prevent an adoption, representing a father in proceedings following an
informal surrogacy arrangement, and representing a father who was alleged to have
tampered with life-preserving equipment being used by his infant daughter.
REPORTED CASES
Re A-C (A Child) [2013] EWCA Civ 1321 (Appeal against fact-finding decision)
In the matter of L-R (Children) [2013] EWCA Civ 1129 (Contempt of court in public law
proceedings)
Re E (A Child) [2013] EWHC 2413 (Application for leave to withdraw care proceedings after
lengthy fact finding hearing, and consideration given to circumstances of emergency
removal)
Re L (A Child) [2013] EWCA Civ 489 (Interim Care Order: Removal)
In the matter of L & B (Children) [2013] UKSC 9 (Circumstances in which a judge who has
announced her decision can change her mind).
Re AA (A Child) 2012 EWHC 2647 (High Court)
London
2 Harcourt Buildings
London EC4Y 9DB DX 373 LDE
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (020) 7353 6968
Page 3 of 4
Oxford
Churchill House
3 St Aldates's, Oxford
OX1 1BN DX 96453 Oxford 4
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (01865) 791 585
Telephone 0844 561 7135
[email protected]
Re M (Children) 2012 EWCA Civ 1710
Re N (Religion: Jehovah's Witness) 2012 2 FLR 917 (High Court)
Re R (Care Proceedings: Causation) 2011 2 FLR 1384
Re A (Application for Reporting Restriction Order) 2011 1 FLR 239
O v Coventry City Council (Adoption) 2012 1 FLR 302
Re N (Recognition of Foreign Adoption Order) 2010 1 FLR 1102
B (Children) [2011] EWCA Civ 729 (Court of Appeal)
Re S-B (Children) [2009] UKSC 17, 2010 1 FLR 1161 (Supreme Court)
Re L-A (Care: Chronic Neglect) [2009] EWCA Civ 822, 2010 1 FLR 80
Re L (Shared Residence Order) [2009] EWCA Civ 20, [2009] 2 FLR 1157
Re A; Coventry City Council v CC and A [2007] EWCA Civ 1383, [2008] 1 FLR 959 (Court of
Appeal)
Re N and N [2007] Fam Law 121, [2008] FLR forthcoming (Court of Appeal)
Re H (Care Order: Appropriate Local Authority) [2004] 1 FLR 534 (Court of Appeal)
Re P (Care Orders: Injunctive Relief) [2000] 2 FLR 385 (High Court)
Re O (Adoption: Withholding Consent) [1999] 1 FLR 451 (Court of Appeal)
Re M (Adoption or Residence Order) [1998] 1 FLR 570 (Court of Appeal)
Oxfordshire County Council v L and F [1997] 1 FLR 235
S v Oxfordshire County Council [1993] 1 FLR 452 (High Court)
London
2 Harcourt Buildings
London EC4Y 9DB DX 373 LDE
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (020) 7353 6968
Page 4 of 4
Oxford
Churchill House
3 St Aldates's, Oxford
OX1 1BN DX 96453 Oxford 4
TEL 0844 561 7135
FAX (01865) 791 585