a silver jubilee (2)
Special procedure divorces
In 1984, “Litigation” (the former title of this column) rediscovered the Queen’s Proctor was still alive when Sir John Arnold, President of the Family Division, rescinded three decrees nisi based on unreasonable behaviour in favour of petitioners who had sworn special procedure affidavits falsely deposing that they and their spouses were not living together.
Queen’s Proctor Still Snooping—Official
Who referred...the cases to the court? Why, our old friend the Queen’s Proctor—back from those balmy days of collusion and discretion statements. The QP currently investigates about 100 cases a year through two Treasury Solicitor lawyers. Nosey neighbours still do their stuff (the practice of some local newspapers in listing decrees pronounced has made this a more active source of information) and petitioners who have secured a decree on the strength of their special procedure affidavit can find on the children’s appointment that the judge discovers more than they had bargained for and directs the papers to be sent to the QP.
And any citizen with a social conscience but without a cause might become a professional intervener under
