LAU, R (on the application of) v The Family Court at Croydon

Facts

The applicant, anonymised as LAU, is a father involved in private law child arrangements proceedings in the Croydon Family Court concerning his daughter, now aged 9. He filed an application for contact on 19 January 2024. On 18 March 2024 HHJ Major suspended direct contact, and permission to appeal that order was refused by Peel J and certified totally without merit. After a final hearing, HHJ Major made a final order on 25 November 2024 prohibiting all direct contact and imposing an order under s.91(14) of the Children Act 1989, reserved to herself; permission to appeal was refused by Henke J on 17 March 2025 as totally without merit. A belated dismissal of an earlier interim contact application followed on 24 March 2025, with permission to appeal refused by Cusworth J. Cusworth J later declined to entertain a set-aside application, directing that it be made in Croydon and that permission under the s.91(14) order be obtained. The applicant lodged an application on 5 January 2026 which was not issued, and on 18 January 2026 issued judicial review proceedings against HMCTS at Croydon Family Court seeking mandatory orders compelling it to issue and list that application. Permission was refused on the papers by Deputy High Court Judge Aidan Eardley KC and, on renewal, by Benjamin Douglas-Jones KC sitting as a deputy High Court judge, who certified the claim totally without merit. The applicant, in person, sought permission to appeal.