Joanna Moody

Notable Cases

• A Local Authority v Z [2024]

  Represented the child through her children’s guardian in lengthy care proceedings involving allegations of sexual abuse made by the child against the father.

• A Local Authority v A [2023]

  Led by Michael Jones KC representing a father in a lengthy finding of fact hearing involving inter-familial sexual abuse and failure to protect

• A Local Authority v X & Ors (Need for Finding of Fact Hearing) [2023] EWFC 121

  Led by Michael Jones KC representing the child in a case before MacDonald J where the issue was whether the care proceedings ought to be delayed to await a post-mortem report and whether it was necessary and proportionate for a finding of fact hearing to take place into the death of a child

• A Local Authority v A [2022]

  Led by Susan Grocott KC, representing the mother in a finding of fact hearing before the President of the Family Division where the child had sustained multiple injuries including an injury to the head.

• A Local Authority v X [2022] EWHC 3043

  Led by Susan Grocott KC, representing the mother in a finding of fact hearing before Lieven J where the sole issue was the determination of the child’s age

• A Local Authority v A [2022]

  Led by Samantha Bowcock KC, representing the local authority in a finding of fact hearing involving 3 linked families and allegations of sexual abuse

• A Local Authority v D [2022]

  Represented a 16 year old in a finding of fact hearing where she had made allegations of sexual abuse against a step-parent.

• J (A Child) (Resolutions Model)(Rev 1) [2021] EWFC 58

  Represented the child in a case where the child had sustained inflicted injuries and the court endorsed a Resolutions Model in order to rehabilitate the child back to the mother’s care

• A Local Authority v C [2021]

  Led by Julia Cheetham KC, representing the local authority in a finding of fact hearing and final hearing involving the death of a young child

• Re C [2021]

  Represented the children in a finding of fact hearing which involved allegations of fabricated illness made against both parents.

• I-A [2021] EWCA Civ 1222

  Represented the children in the High Court and subsequently the Court of Appeal in a case concerning the court’s powers to revoke an adoption order under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court.

• MS v RS & Ors [2020] EWFC 30

  Represented the children in a High Court final hearing before Macdonald J on a paternity dispute between the parents and putative father.

• Re AV (A Child) (Expert Report) [2020] EWCA Civ 346

  Represented the child in High Court proceedings in circumstances where the siblings were killed in a house fire. I appeared before the Court of Appeal on an interim issue as to whether an expert assessment is necessary or not

• A local authority v B [2020]

  Represented a father in a finding of fact hearing concerning fracture injuries to two children.

• A v A [2019]

  Represented a mother in private law proceedings concerning issues of where the young children should live, the time to be spent with each parent, the choice of school and the choice of surname.

• A local authority v B [2019]

  Represented a father in care proceedings who was alleged to have caused a head injury to his baby. The court accepted the parents’ case that this was an accidental injury and the child was returned home.

• A local authority v A [2019]

  Represented the child in a finding of fact hearing arising out of a shaking injury to a young child. The case involved 5 experts from different disciplines

• A local authority v C [2019]

  Represented the local authority in care proceedings concerning a mother who had threatened to kill herself and her baby when born. The father was a convicted murderer.

• A local authority v M (2018)

  Family

  Represented the local authority in an application for a return order before Parker J where the parents had removed the children to Poland.

• A local authority v A (2018)

  Family

  Represented a grandmother in an SGO application where the mother had been murdered by the father. The case also involved the termination of the father’s parental responsibility and a section 91(14) order until the child reaches 18 years of age

• A local authority v V 2017

  Children

  Represented the children in proceedings before MacDonald J in circumstances where the father had murdered the mother during proceedings. The case concerned Article 15 considerations and the legal basis for placing the children with extended family members in Hungary.

• A Local Authority v X (2017)

  Children

  Represented a child in public law proceedings concerning inter sibling sexual abuse before MacDonald J

• 2016 T v B

  Children

  Represented a child in a finding of fact rehearing concerning issues of sexual abuse of a family member, after the initial findings were overturned by the Court of Appeal

• 2016 A local authority v B

  Family

  Represented a mother in care proceedings with alleged non-accidental injuries, in particular bilateral fibular fractures

• 2016 A local authority v W

  Children

  Represented the local authority in public law proceedings concerning extensive bruising to a young child
   

• 2016 LA v W

  Children

  Represented the child in an application for a FGM protection order before Keehan J.

• 2016 LA v F

  Family

  Represented the child in care proceedings concerning alleged sexual abuse by a family member.

• 2015 V v B

  Family

  Represented the child in private law proceedings concerning a contact law application by a mother who was born in the Caribbean but currently resided in Spain. The issues were how to ensure safeguards were in place (by way of The Hague Convention and Brussels II revised) in case of abduction

• LA v M (2015)

  Family

  Led by Susan Grocott QC representing the mother in a case involving allegations of factitious illness before the President

• Re A (Placement Order: Imposition of Conditions on Adoption) [2014] 2 FLR 351

  Children (Public)

  Appeared before Court of Appeal led by Jeremy Weston QC representing the children on an appeal concerning placement orders.

• A Local Authority v L [2013]

  Children (Public)

  Represented a local authority in a case involving a baby with unusual fractures to both feet.

• A Local Authority v S [2013]

  Children (Public)

  Represented a foster father in a case concerning fracture injuries sustained by a child in foster care where there were no concerns about his own children.

• A Local ~Authority v K [2013]

  Children (Public)

  Represented the children in a case involving historic allegations of sexual abuse made by the mother against her father.

• A Local Authority v S [2011]

  Children (Public)

  Represented a local authority in a 16 day finding of fact hearing involving a skull fracture and rib fractures. The case also involved legal argument as to whether the father had capacity to give evidence, and whether a lay witness should give evidence in circumstances where she was threatening to commit suicide if she did.