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Original poster

Getting a copy of a child arrangements order order

11 replies

LeaveMeOutOfIt · 06/01/2026 16:24

I just contacted a court asking for a copy of a child arrangements order, in which my son is named. The court order is for a half sibling but I am not a party in the order. I have been told I can’t have a copy but they have also said “it is up to the applicant if they wish to share a copy of the order”

isn’t this really bad advice given there are alll sorts of legal restrictions RE sharing or publishing something from the family court?

OP posts:
PollyBell · 07/01/2026 00:48

The court is correct, just because someone is named does not give people right to a legal matter not involving them or their parent

Elektra1 · 10/01/2026 10:39

Why on earth would you expect to be given a copy of a court order between third parties? Your son being named in an order doesn’t give you an entitlement to see it - sounds like it’s an order between your ex and another of his ex-partners. None of your business.

Re the court telling you that the applicant can choose if they wish to share a copy with you, I don’t see how that is bad advice. It’s their document. They can do what they like with it. They can show it to whomever they wish.

Original poster
LeaveMeOutOfIt · 10/03/2026 17:24

Elektra1 · 10/01/2026 10:39

Why on earth would you expect to be given a copy of a court order between third parties? Your son being named in an order doesn’t give you an entitlement to see it - sounds like it’s an order between your ex and another of his ex-partners. None of your business.

Re the court telling you that the applicant can choose if they wish to share a copy with you, I don’t see how that is bad advice. It’s their document. They can do what they like with it. They can show it to whomever they wish.

Edited

This is actually not true. You may not be familiar with family court but they very strictly cannot share it with whoever they like.

OP posts:
Elektra1 · 10/03/2026 17:26

LeaveMeOutOfIt · 10/03/2026 17:24

This is actually not true. You may not be familiar with family court but they very strictly cannot share it with whoever they like.

Show quote history

I’m a solicitor. Very familiar with how court orders work. Unless the order expressly prohibits those subject to the order sharing information about its terms, they can. I’d imagine that if the court office told the OP that it was up to the other parent to share it with her or not, then the order in question would allow for that.

Original poster
LeaveMeOutOfIt · 10/03/2026 21:20

Elektra1 · 10/03/2026 17:26

I’m a solicitor. Very familiar with how court orders work. Unless the order expressly prohibits those subject to the order sharing information about its terms, they can. I’d imagine that if the court office told the OP that it was up to the other parent to share it with her or not, then the order in question would allow for that.

Show quote history
  1. I am the OP
  2. The court order expressly prohibits those subject to the order sharing information about its terms to anyone not on a list provided in the instructions.
  3. the court office told me they were ‘not legally trained and unable to advise on closed cases’ but that it was ‘up to the applicant if they wished to share a copy of the order’
OP posts:
Icanflyhigh · 10/03/2026 21:27

LeaveMeOutOfIt · 10/03/2026 21:20

  1. I am the OP
  2. The court order expressly prohibits those subject to the order sharing information about its terms to anyone not on a list provided in the instructions.
  3. the court office told me they were ‘not legally trained and unable to advise on closed cases’ but that it was ‘up to the applicant if they wished to share a copy of the order’
Show quote history

My CAO stated this too, so lawfully I couldn't share it with elder siblings or my husband.

WiggyPig · 10/03/2026 21:41

Elektra1 · 10/03/2026 17:26

I’m a solicitor. Very familiar with how court orders work. Unless the order expressly prohibits those subject to the order sharing information about its terms, they can. I’d imagine that if the court office told the OP that it was up to the other parent to share it with her or not, then the order in question would allow for that.

Show quote history

Child Arrangement Orders do carry such a prohibition, and in addition to that Practice Direction 12G restricts the sharing of information in any proceedings relating to children.

Solicitors who don't practice in family have been in almighty trouble for putting a CAO into evidence in another area of law (e.g. putting a CAO into an immigration tribunal bundle to show that a father has contact with his children) even when the order was disclosed to them by their own client who was a party to proceedings.

Keepingthingsinteresting · 10/03/2026 22:17

LeaveMeOutOfIt · 10/03/2026 21:20

  1. I am the OP
  2. The court order expressly prohibits those subject to the order sharing information about its terms to anyone not on a list provided in the instructions.
  3. the court office told me they were ‘not legally trained and unable to advise on closed cases’ but that it was ‘up to the applicant if they wished to share a copy of the order’
Show quote history

So it wasn’t advice then? Why are you going on about it if you know you wouldn’t get a copy anyway? Weird to get so exercised about this.

WiggyPig · 11/03/2026 09:23

She can get a copy, but not by phoning the court herself. Assuming the party to proceedings is her partner, and the order relates to partner's kids with ex and also names the child she and her partner have together (e.g. M will make kids available to see F EOW and on Father's Day, F's birthday and Half-Sib's birthday) then her ex needs to make an application to the court to ask them for permission to disclose it to her. Most courts will deal with this administratively if he emails them although it might take some weeks.

I can well understand why she might be getting exercised about this. Her child is named in what she believed to be a confidential court order and the court office is blithely telling people on the phone that parties can share documents with whomever they like. Which they can't. I'd be a bit irked too.

Original poster
LeaveMeOutOfIt · 21/03/2026 21:54

Keepingthingsinteresting · 10/03/2026 22:17

So it wasn’t advice then? Why are you going on about it if you know you wouldn’t get a copy anyway? Weird to get so exercised about this.

Show quote history

Woah. Hang on. Did you come here thinking that this is AIBU rather than a post seeking legal advice?

because yes I need advice and I don’t think you have read my OP correctly if you think I am being weird.

OP posts:
Original poster
LeaveMeOutOfIt · 21/03/2026 22:00

WiggyPig · 11/03/2026 09:23

She can get a copy, but not by phoning the court herself. Assuming the party to proceedings is her partner, and the order relates to partner's kids with ex and also names the child she and her partner have together (e.g. M will make kids available to see F EOW and on Father's Day, F's birthday and Half-Sib's birthday) then her ex needs to make an application to the court to ask them for permission to disclose it to her. Most courts will deal with this administratively if he emails them although it might take some weeks.

I can well understand why she might be getting exercised about this. Her child is named in what she believed to be a confidential court order and the court office is blithely telling people on the phone that parties can share documents with whomever they like. Which they can't. I'd be a bit irked too.

The court order is for the child of an ex who is also the parent on my child (siblings with different mothers) and our child together is mentioned in the order in a pivotal way that has since resulted in some legal letters where I have been mentioned (untruths about me).

what I was asking was if the person who replied to me is correct about the fact that my ex can just show me the court order rather than relay the contents to me. I want to show the wording of the court order to a solicitor but worry that legally I can’t - the wording seems to have caused some confusion to the other mother.

having read the restrictions I don’t think he can.

OP posts:
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