PD12J sets out the procedure courts should follow in private law cases relating to children where there are allegations of domestic abuse are raised.
The following amendments are made to PD12J
- the reference to honour-based violence is amended to honour-based abuse;
- provision relating to “Scott Schedules” is amended to remove that term and to clarify that judges should undertake a holistic assessment of allegations, including any pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour;
- a requirement is added for the court to undertake an assessment of risk when ordering interim contact for a child residing in a refuge;
- reference is added to the Qualified Legal Representative Scheme;
- to clarify that the court has the power to make an order as to who should meet the costs of supervised contact.
The PD amendments came into force on the 5 January 2026.
Substituted New PD27A – Court bundles- with consequential amendments to PD5D, PD12B, PD29B and PD36Z
This new PD replaces the existing PD27A, which provides for the preparation and filing of bundles.
Amongst other provisions, the new PD27A:
- includes references to e-bundles as the standard practice,
- specifies the need to use (where possible) Arial typeface or Times New Roman,
- contains separate provisions for structure and content of bundles in financial remedy proceedings and in other proceedings (including private children’s cases and public children’s cases),
- brings forward the timetables for preparing and filing the bundle, for example the bundle, with the exception of the preliminary documents, must be filed five working days prior to the hearing instead of two.
Consequential amendments are made to PD5D, PD12B, PD29B, and PD36Z, for example, to update existing cross-references to provisions of PD27A.
The new PD27A, and the consequential amendments to other PDs, will come into force on 2 March 2026.
