How the family courts are rewriting the rules on parenting after abuse – Marcus Dearle lends insight to Tatler

A recent article of 6 November 2025 in Tatler features senior partner Marcus Dearle’s commentary on what the impact of proposed changes to the rules on the presumption of parenting following relationship breakdown will really mean for those most intimately involved.

With the announcement that the government intends to repeal the presumption of parental involvement from the Children Act 1989, Marcus Dearle provides insight on this issue on which he has commented for more than 20 years.

The article states that in a Times article of 2004:

“Dearle argued that a change in the law was not necessary and that ‘it would be entirely wrong to jump to the conclusion that the entire family legal apparatus… has been a total failure. The tabloid newspapers report only the problems, not the successes of which there are many.’ Two decades later, he still holds that view. ‘A change in the law back again is not necessary now. Protective mechanisms are already in place to protect children with or without the presumption principle.’”

It further states:

“For Dearle, preventing disputes from escalating is key. ‘We need to prevent parental disputes from escalating into acrimonious litigation, including disputes over time with the children. We need to tell – not advise – parents who do so that they risk harming their future relationships with their children,’ he says.”

Read the full article here: How the family courts are rewriting the rules on parenting after abuse.