Jessica Williams

Private Children

Jessica represents both Applicants and Respondents before all levels of the Judiciary at the county court at all stages of private law proceedings. Jessica has represented clients in respect of conciliation, directions hearings, dispute resolution appointments, enforcement proceedings, deliver up orders and final hearings in respect of live with and spend time with Orders. Jessica further represents clients in respect of non-molestation orders both on notice and on a without notice basis.

At a two day Final Hearing Jessica represented the Respondent Mother with whom her children lived. The Applicant Father sought a live with order and the section 7 report compiled by the social worker recommended the same. The report was insufficient in considering the sibling attachment and the positives of the Respondent Mother’s parenting fully and therefore Jessica conducted complex and extensive cross-examination of both the social worker and the team manager.

Public Children

Jessica represents the Local Authority, Respondents and the Guardian in a wide variety of public law matters including interim care order applications in emergency and non-emergency scenarios, case management hearings, C2 applications, Part 25 applications, issue resolution hearings and final hearings. Jessica has appeared before all levels of the Judiciary at the county court and has dealt with a variety of issues which arise during such matters including threshold, separation, neglect, non-accidental injury, concerns in respect of interim and final care plans, special guardianship orders, supervision orders, care and placement orders. Jessica has further represented parties in respect of applications for leave to apply to the court under section 10(9) of the Children Act 1989. Jessica further provides written advice on such matters. Most recently providing advice to a children’s Guardian in respect of the transfer of a care order from one Local Authority to another.

Jessica recently represented a Respondent Mother at an issue resolution hearing who owing to a failure to engage had not filed her final evidence. Jessica took detailed instructions upon the parenting assessment and final evidence of the Local Authority in order to provide a hand written statement covering the Respondent Mother’s position at the court door. The Judge was thereafter open to further evidence being filed as to the specifics elements of the Local Authority case which remained to be challenged at the final hearing.

Ancillary Relief

Jessica represents both Applicants and Respondents in respect of ancillary matters at all stages of proceedings including first directions appointments, financial dispute resolution hearings and final hearings. Jessica has prepared statements of issues, chronologies and case summaries in preparation for the aforementioned hearings.

Jessica recently represented an Applicant Wife at a first directions appointment in a case where on separation five years previously the majority of the matrimonial assets where split outside of the court arena. The matrimonial assets were split with a disparity in favour of the Applicant Wife. These matrimonial assets consisted of the former matrimonial home, chattels and the two companies which existed until separation. The matrimonial assets which remained to be divided were the Respondent Husband’s pensions. The difficult issue for the parties and the court was how to appropriately deal with the initial division of assets given the conflicting views of the parties in respect of the reason for the disparity. Detailed submissions were required in order to fully understand the parties’ positions and careful directions were required in order to ensure that as much documentation would be available for the financial dispute resolution hearing on the next occasion.