Private judges in demand as couples hire them to speed up divorces

With the rising number of divorce cases in the UK during the lockdown amid the pandemic, couples are opting for the “Bupa Style” of hearings for divorce settlement by hiring private judges. Under this style of settlement, experienced lawyers and retired judges are paid to act as private judges and arbitrate disputes over money and children, outside the court system. Court delays and cancellations particularly affect financial disputes because cases involving the safety of children are prioritised and can bump them off the schedule at the last minute. “More than a third of all arbitrations since the scheme started nine years ago have been since January last year, according to data from the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators. There were 301 family law arbitrations in eight years up to January 2020. By June this year, the number had risen to 428,” a report in The Times said.