In N (A Child) [2009] EWHC 2096 (Fam)
In this judgment Munby J considers the costs regime and the related case law. He finds that although the father’s conduct was close to justifying an order for costs he declines to make the order “because of the likely effect the making of such an order will have on relations between the parents and thus, and crucially, on N” (the child). He also agreed with the father that “a much more discriminating approach to the father’s various applications is required than the ‘all or nothing’ broad-brush approach adopted by the mother” and found that the mother was not entirely blameless as she had made applications of her own. He also concluded that the father's McKenzie Friend
"is entitled to charge, if he can find clients willing to pay his fees, at an hourly rate which can hardly be said to be extravagant when contrasted with the fees one frequently finds being charged to privately paying clients in family cases".
Despite Judge Mundy refrained from awarding costs due to the impact on the child, for me it suggests that a McKenzie Friend can be good value for money.
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