Rob George
British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow
Rob George holds a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship at University College. Dr George is a leading expert on relocation disputes, which are legal cases between separated parents where one of them proposes to move to a new geographic location with their child. His main research project from 2012 to 2014 looks at how these disputes are resolved in the trial courts of England and Wales, by looking at unreported case judgments and the experiences of lawyers and parents. (More information about this research can be found on the project page.)
More generally, Dr George's research interests are in child and family law, broadly conceived, with a particular emphasis on international and comparative aspects of the law and its practice. Dr George has strong links with practising lawyers, including being an Associate Member of Harcourt Chambers, and he is regularly consulted by practitioners about aspects of family law. He is also interested in legal policy-making, making frequent submissions to legal consultations, talking with policy-makers, officials and journalists, and writing an occasional blog on law and related areas.
Dr George works as Case Notes Editor of the Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, and is a member of the Oxford Centre for Family Law and Policy, of the Socio-Legal Studies Association and of the Society of Legal Scholars. He welcomes enquiries about his research from academics, practising lawyers, policy-makers, journalists and others, and is happy to discuss potential research topics with prospective research students.
Publications
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2013
R George, Relocation Disputes: Law and Practice in England and New Zealand (Hart Publishing 2013) (forthcoming) [...]
Relocation cases are disputes between separated parents which arise when one parent proposes to move to a new geographic location with their child and the other parent objects to the proposal. Relocation disputes are widely recognised as being amongst the most difficult cases facing family courts, and the law governing them is increasingly a cause for debate at both national and international levels. In Relocation Disputes: Law and Practice in England and New Zealand, Rob George looks at the different ways in which the legal systems of England and New Zealand currently deal with relocation cases. Drawing on case law, literature and the views of legal practitioners in the two jurisdictions, Relocation Disputes represents a major contribution to our understanding of the everyday practice of relocation cases. The empirical data reported in this book reveal the practical differences between the English and New Zealand approaches to relocation, along with a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of each system as seen by judges, lawyers and court experts who deal with these cases in practice. This analysis leads to detailed criticisms and lessons that can be learnt, together with practical suggestions about possible reforms of relocation law.
2012
R George, Ideas and Debates in Family Law (Hart Publishing 2012) [...]
Ideas and Debates in Family Law is written for family law students, at undergraduate level and beyond, who are looking for less orthodox ideas about family law. The book's first section looks at themes in family law, addressing challenges facing the family justice system, rights and responsibilities, and the internationalisation of the law regulating families. The second section is focused on adult relationships: it suggests new ways for the law to allocate legal consequences for families, debates the consequences of the 'contractualisation' of marriage, and explores the value of 'fairness' in family finances. The third section is about children, discussing the welfare principle, parental responsibility and practical parenting. Although these issues sound common enough in a family law book, the discussions found here are far from common. Useful by itself or alongside a textbook, Ideas and Debates in Family Law offers new and thought-provoking perspectives on family law issues.
ISBN: 9781849462549
R George, 'Reviewing Relocation? Re W (Relocation: Removal Outside Jurisdiction) [2011] EWCA Civ 345 and K v K (Relocation: Shared Care Arrangement) [2011] EWCA Civ 793' (2012) Child and Family Law Quarterly 110
2011
R George, 'Practitioners’ Views on Children’s Welfare in Relocation Disputes: Comparing Approaches in England and New Zealand' (2011) 23 Child and Family Law Quarterly 178
R George, 'Regulating Responsibilities in Relocation Disputes' in J Bridgeman, H Keating and C Lind (eds), Regulating Family Responsibilities (Ashgate 2011)
2010
P Harris and R George, 'Parental Responsibility and Shared Residence Orders: Parliamentary Intentions and Judicial Interpretations' (2010) 22 Child and Family Law Quarterly 151
