Naomi Carpenter

Private Family Law – section 8 Applications
Naomi accepts briefs in all aspects of private family law including ones involving domestic abuse, child abuse and international elements. Due to her experience and practise in prison and criminal law she is uniquely placed to deal with cases where one party in the proceedings has been accused or convicted of serious criminal offences or/and serving prison sentences/on licence. She is obviously well versed in the risk assessment/sentence planning course regime in prison, probation and the C.J.S. She has represented different parties in such cases including the respondent to the convicted persons’ application, the convicted person and interested parties in the county but more specifically in the High Courts.

By way of some examples:

i) Cases concerning applicants seeking contact with their children whilst in prison or on licence who were convicted of murder and sex offences in the High (R.C.J) and County Courts.

ii) Naomi has represented the grandmother of a daughter who was allegedly killed by her husband in front of the children who applied for residence in care proceedings.

iii) She has successfully represented a respondent objecting to an application by the father who had been found guilty of the attempted murder of the children and was approaching his release date (prison behaviour problems).  No contact was ordered, parental responsibility removed and an order prohibiting future applications granted.

Public Family Law
Naomi is regularly instructed in complex care proceedings including. She represents all parties including parents, grandparents, the children and the local authority and other interested parties. She has represented parties in all levels of the family court from the magistrates’ court, High Court and the Court of appeal in a wide range of cases. Again, her experience in criminal and prison law sits well with her knowledge of family law.

An interesting case in the High Court concerned a mother who had suffered post traumatic syndrome following her experience of the war in Iraq and had suffered injuries as a result of some bombs. The children were returned to the mother.

Injunctive relief
Inevitably Naomi is briefed in this area and often with last minute notice due to the
nature of the applications.

Wardship cases
Naomi accepts briefs in this area of law and most recently is briefed in a case in the High Court which is ongoing.

Adoption
Naomi accepts briefs in this area of family law. One recent case concerned a father (of impeccable character) who learned very late in the day that he had a child (a result of a one night stand) and applied to oppose the adoption application at the last minute.

Financial Remedy cases
Naomi is briefed in this area of law both by private clients. She has represented clients in cases of polygamous marriages, trusts and hidden assets.

Family

2019    Court of Appeal – Appeal against a fact-finding decision in a care case resulting in a rehearing (reported case), Naomi represented the respondent father.

2019    High Court – the mother successfully sought urgent permission to take the child to Malaysia due to family ill health.

2019    Watford Family Court – lengthy and complex fact finding in a care case involving historic allegations of sexual and physical abuse spanning a couple of decades and two connected families. Naomi was led.

2018    Watford Family Court  – lengthy and complex fact finding and final hearing in a care case involved allegations of sexual and physical abuse.

2018    High Court – location order dismissed.

2017    Chelmsford Family Court – lengthy care final hearing involving allegations of physical abuse, factitious induced illness and intervenors.

2015    Court of Appeal – Appeal against a final decision in a care case. Naomi represented the father.

2015    Court of Appeal – Appeal against a placement order on behalf of the father, represented by Naomi. Permission was given to the father on the papers and the matter listed for a full hearing. The local authority applied to discharge the placement order days before the appeal hearing. Naomi was led by Queens Counsel.

2015    Central Family Court – lengthy and complex fact finding and final hearing involving allegations of sexual (rape) and physical abuse and child trafficking.  Naomi represented the father.

2014    Court of Appeal – Appeal by the maternal grandparents against a final decision in a care case and the refusal to give permission for an independent social worker report. Naomi represented the mother and was led by Queens Counsel.

2012    Court of Appeal – Appeal by one party against a High Court Judge’s decision to suspend contact due to a parent’s capacity issues. High Court case is stayed during appeal.

2012    High Court – Contact proceedings involving a father who applied to remove the child from the jurisdiction to reside with him with non-disclosure of the address.

2012    High Court – Wardship proceedings concerning parents from Angola with residence and contact issues, Mother left the country with the children.

2011    High Court – Issue of jurisdiction and whether an applicant child has the right to determine his own habitual residence. I represented the Father.

2010    High Court – Led by a silk. A father who was convicted of sexual offences against minors, sought contact with his children. Legal issues in relation to disclosure and the failure to admit guilt and thus show rehabilitation were raised.

2010    High Court – pending committal proceedings against a mother who withheld contact without good reason.

2012    Court of Protection –Following private law proceedings the Mother made an application for contact and the movement of her daughter from the father’s house into residential housing.

2011    Central Family Court  – Overturned a historic residence order in favour of mother.

2010    Central Family Court – Care proceedings – mother suffered physical and emotional injury from the bombing in Iraq years earlier, came to England and the children were placed in care following as a result of mother’s issues. I acted for father.

2012    Swindon County Court – High cost care case. I represent the father.

2012    Swindon County Court – Application by a father for contact who is lacking capacity, has suicidal tendencies and suffered child abuse. I represent the father.

2012    Swindon County Court – Successful application by a non-biological father for shared residence and contact. I represented the non-biological father.

2011    Swindon County Court – Successful application by mother to remove the father’s parental responsibility, stop any form of contact and prevent any further contact applications by father for the new few years. Father was convicted of attempted murder (by gas) and threats to kill against the children. I represented Mother.

2011    Swindon County Court – care proceedings. Successful application for a S.G.O by the maternal grandparents despite a historic lengthy criminal past.

2011    Croydon County Court – adoption case, the father discovered he had a daughter (the result of a one night stand) whilst adoption proceedings were finishing.

2011    Guildford County Court – care proceedings, the father murdered the mother in front of the children. Application by maternal grandmother for residence.

2011    Guildford County Court – Ancillary relief proceedings. The wife alleged that the husband had not declared/hidden details of his 1950’s Marvel comic collection. One comic was potentially worth ¾ of a million pounds.

2010    Bradford County Court – application by father to have continued contact with his child whilst in prison for murder in a category A prison. Naomi acted for Father.

2010    County Court – application by father in prison for contact with his son. Prison visits hall deemed a safe place for contact as supervised by staff and family.