Professional McKenzie Friend 30 Years of Experience, In Complex Child Access, Child Custody, Non Molestation Cases, Family Divorce And Financial, Professional McKenzie Friend Advanced Leve, Cost-Effective, Low-Cost, Trusted Family Court Support
Family Court Support
Advanced Highly Experienced Level Professional McKenzie Friend 30+ Years'
Remarkable Achievements in High-Conflict & Complex Family Court Cases Including Child Abduction.
Child Arrangements • Child Custody • Separation • Financial Disputes • Non-Molestation Orders • Findings of Fact.
📞 Contact: Christopher James Coutanche, McKenzie's friend
Telephone: 07878 896044
💬 WhatsApp: Send a message: Ask a question or discuss your situation.
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Professional McKenzie Friend | Affordable Family Court Support.
Child Arrangements (Child Custody) and Family Dispute Resolution Divorce and Financial – Without the Cost of Solicitors [non legal support]
Very Important Information About My Service — Helping You Save Time and Money
There are different levels of experience, knowledge and expertise among McKenzie Friends. Choosing someone simply because they are available to attend court may not necessarily provide the level of support your case requires.
Anyone can assist you at court as a McKenzie Friend, but the real question is the value you receive for the fees you pay. In many cases, significant costs can be avoided through proper early preparation, detailed case analysis and a clear understanding of the issues, evidence and court procedures.
My service is different. With over 30 years of experience, I aim to understand and analyse your case from the earliest possible stage, identifying the key issues, relevant procedures, evidence, strengths, weaknesses and potential risks.
My objective is to help you avoid unnecessary costs and ensure that the time and money you invest are focused on what genuinely matters to your case and the outcome you are seeking.
Effective support begins long before you enter the courtroom. The quality of preparation, experience and case analysis behind you can make a significant difference to how confidently and effectively you are able to present your case.
With over 30 years of advanced experience, I provide strategic and practical support to litigants in person involved in complex family law proceedings. By analysing legal principles, leading authorities, and established case law, I help clients understand how the law may apply to their individual circumstances, enabling them to prepare their cases thoroughly and present clear, well-reasoned arguments.
I provide guidance throughout the family court process, including Cafcass procedures, welfare assessments, and the statutory welfare considerations that underpin judicial decision-making. I assist clients in understanding and responding effectively to concerns relating to child welfare, safeguarding, domestic abuse, drug and alcohol misuse, mental health, parental conflict, and other factors that may influence the court's assessment of a child's best interests.
My areas of expertise include child welfare and best interests assessments, parental responsibility, safeguarding concerns, domestic abuse allegations, drug and alcohol misuse, mental health issues, Hague Convention proceedings, relocation applications, and high-conflict child arrangements disputes. I also assist clients in identifying legal, procedural, and evidential issues, challenging inaccurate or unfair professional reports where appropriate, and ensuring that relevant evidence and legal arguments are presented clearly, logically, and effectively.
Drawing on three decades of experience, I have developed particular expertise in analysing welfare concerns, identifying inconsistencies within professional reports, Cafcass recommendations, and other evidence, while helping clients prepare focused, child-centred responses that address the issues most relevant to the court's welfare determination.
My commitment is to provide practical, affordable, and knowledgeable support that empowers litigants in person to navigate family proceedings with confidence, clarity, and thorough preparation—without the high cost of instructing solicitors.
Appraisal
"Remarkably, Christopher Coutanche's experience is not limited to assisting others through complex litigation. He has also faced exceptionally difficult legal proceedings personally, requiring him to navigate serious allegations and the full pressures of the court process himself. Successfully coming through such experiences has given him a distinctive understanding of what it is like to face high-conflict litigation from the position of a litigant — not merely as an adviser standing beside one."
Financial And Divorce
I am experienced in divorce and financial remedy proceedings, including the identification, valuation, and division of matrimonial assets, pension sharing, spousal maintenance, child maintenance, and the application of the statutory factors governing financial settlements.
Drawing on experience of 5,000+ cases, I offer knowledgeable and reliable McKenzie Friend support across a wide range of legal matters. Benefit from decades of hands-on experience and practical insight at a fraction of the cost of traditional legal representation.✅
I am recognised for my expertise in family law support work, including High Court judicial acknowledgement of my involvement in family law proceedings, with recognition recorded in the appendix High Court judgment in 2012 [see Family Law Experience And Recognition section below] ⬅️
Available support includes:
- Attending your hearings ✅
- One-off case reviews and procedural guidance for your next hearing ✅
- Assistance with court applications and legal documents ✅
- Support with drafting witness statements and position statements ✅
- Help organising evidence and preparing court bundles ✅
- Hearing preparation and confidence coaching ✅
- Strategic guidance on family court procedures ✅
- Telephone, video, and email support between hearings ✅
- Ongoing case management assistance ✅
Whether you require full McKenzie Friend support throughout your proceedings or targeted assistance at key stages, the objective remains the same: to help you present your case effectively while avoiding unnecessary expense.
Services Include
- McKenzie Friend support throughout family court proceedings ✅
- Child Arrangements Order applications and disputes ✅
- High-conflict and complex family court cases ✅
- Support for allegations and disputed facts ✅
- Court application preparation and document assistance ✅
- Witness statement and position statement support ✅
- Court bundle preparation and organisation ✅
- Family court procedure and process guidance ✅
- Hearing preparation and case management support ✅
- Telephone and online consultations ✅
- Support for parents, grandparents, and wider family members ✅
- Affordable assistance compared with traditional legal representation ✅
- 🟢International child relocation and leave to remove applications
- 🟢High-conflict and intractable child arrangement disputes
- 🟢Complex welfare and safeguarding concerns
- 🟢Cross-border family law issues
Non-Molestation-Finding of Fact Hearings
I have extensive experience supporting parents involved in Finding of Fact Hearings, where allegations and disputed evidence require careful examination. I assist clients in analysing evidence, identifying inconsistencies and weaknesses within the available information, organising documentation, preparing chronologies and witness materials, and ensuring that key issues are clearly presented to the court.
My approach is child-focused and evidence-based, with a strong emphasis on ensuring that the welfare and best interests of children remain central to all proceedings. I work closely with clients to help them understand the issues before the court, prepare effectively for hearings, and present their position in a clear, organised, and professional manner.
Support may include:
- Assistance with case preparation and organisation of evidence
- Reviewing court documents, statements, and supporting material
- Preparing chronologies, schedules, and hearing bundles
- Identifying key issues and evidential gaps
- Guidance on court procedure and hearing preparation
- Support during hearings in the capacity of a McKenzie Friend
- Assistance with note-taking and case management
- Helping clients communicate their case clearly and effectively
- Maintaining a focus on the welfare and best interests of the child throughout proceedings
I aim to empower litigants in person to engage confidently with the family justice system, ensuring they feel informed, prepared, and supported throughout what can often be one of the most significant and stressful periods of their lives.
Family Court matters of International relocation
Child abduction-Hague Convention matters
I have supported clients in cases involving:
Hague Convention international child abduction cases.
Complex Child Arrangements and Welfare Cases
Providing specialist support in complex child arrangements and custody disputes, including high-conflict and intractable cases where there are significant concerns regarding the welfare, safety, and long-term well-being of children.
Extensive experience working with families and professionals in cases involving:
- Children with complex needs, disabilities, and additional support requirements
- Child and parental mental health difficulties
- Drug and alcohol misuse concerns, including the interpretation of testing and monitoring arrangements
- Highly complex medical conditions and healthcare needs
- Allegations of neglect, emotional harm, or other safeguarding concerns
- Domestic abuse and its impact on children and family relationships
- Cases involving multiple agencies, including social care, health services, education providers, and legal professionals
- Analysis of complex evidence, expert assessments, and welfare reports
- Parental conflict that significantly impacts a child's emotional well-being and development
Family Law Experience And Recognition And Achievements
I am recognised for my expertise in family law support work, including judicial acknowledgement of my involvement in family law proceedings, with recognition recorded in the appendix to a High Court judgment in 2012.
I was directly involved in the widely reported Hague Convention proceedings concerning Ella Bridge, a significant international child law case that progressed through the High Court and engaged important legal questions regarding children's participation in decisions affecting their lives. The proceedings arose during a period of evolving family law jurisprudence concerning the "voice of the child" and contributed to broader legal and public discourse on the extent to which children's wishes and feelings should be heard and considered in proceedings under the Children Act 1989. During the course of the litigation, I was entrusted with the unusual responsibility of formulating a legal skeleton argument at the direction of the presiding judge, requiring detailed analysis of the relevant statutory framework, Hague Convention principles, and emerging case law relating to children's participation rights.
The case also highlighted significant issues concerning transparency, privacy, and the balance between protecting children involved in family proceedings and the wider public interest in understanding how family justice operates.
My involvement provided first-hand experience of the complexities of high-level family litigation, including international child disputes, child welfare considerations, children's rights, and the practical application of principles governing participation in decision-making. These experiences continue to inform my work supporting families, professionals, and organisations navigating complex family law issues.
This background has given me a unique perspective on the interaction between legal process, child welfare, and the practical realities faced by children and families involved in court proceedings.
see main page
✅ Divorce & Financial Matters – Assistance in financial settlements and proceedings.
Divorce & Financial Matters
Expert Assistance in Financial Settlements & Proceedings
Divorce can be a stressful and complex process, particularly when it comes to financial settlements. Whether you are negotiating a fair division of assets or dealing with financial disputes, understanding your rights and options is crucial.
Key Financial Considerations in Divorce
✅ Division of Assets – Including property, savings, pensions, and investments.
✅ Spousal Maintenance – Whether one party should receive financial support post-divorce.
✅ Child Maintenance – Ensuring financial stability for children after separation/ Cms disputed issues.
✅ Business & High-Value Assets – Protecting or fairly distributing business interests and significant financial holdings.
✅ Debts & Liabilities – Determining responsibility for joint debts
The rules on McKenzie friends is set out below
https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/JCO/Documents/Guidance/mckenzie-friends-practice-guidance-july-2010.pdf</p>