COVID-19 and urgent applications to the Court

I sent an urgent application for adoption with supporting documentation to the Court of Session on Thursday- I really wasn't sure what was going to happen, especially when the Guidance from the Lord President on how the courts would be dealing with applications had only been issued the previous day. 

Thanks to modern technology and great work on the part of the Court of Session team, by Friday afternoon I had received an interlocutor appointing the curator ad litem and reporting office and fixing  a hearing.  The curator ad litem and reporting officer had taken the oath de fideli administratione oficii (a promise to faithfully carry out their offical duties) by telephone conference and Counsel instructed will be able to make submissions at the hearing electronically. 

Despite the very difficult circumstances we currently face, a work around has been reached efficiently to resolve a very anxious family situation. This week’s challenge involves a child in care which may require a petition to the nobile officium (an application to the court asking it to find a legal remedy, where there is a novel situation and no exsiting legal remedy).  Watch this space….