Jasmine Kumar
BarristerSpecialising in family law, appearing in a range of courts on the North Eastern and Midlands circuits as well as the Court of Appeal.
Professional Background
Jasmine trained with Her Majesty’s Court Service (as it then was) as a Legal Adviser to the Derbyshire Magistrates in 2003 and was admitted as a solicitor in 2006, when she moved into private practice and worked in criminal defence, Jasmine was awarded Higher Rights of Audience in 2007 until she was called to the Bar.
Jasmine was called to the Bar in 2009 at Grays’ Inn and up until 2020 Jasmine prosecuted for a variety of government agencies including the CPS, but mainly defended in serious offences tried before the Crown Court and appeared several times at the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) in relation to appeals against sentence.
Private Law Family
Since 2020 Jasmine has practiced in Public and Private family law but her principal practice is in private law family cases where ordinarily parents apply to the court for applications in relation to Child Arrangements Orders, Prohibited Steps Orders, Specific Issues Orders and Injunctive Orders. Jasmine also takes instructions on behalf of applicants and respondents in relation to Special Guardianship Orders.
Cases often involve allegations involving domestic abuse including allegations of sexual and physical violence, controlling and coercive behaviour, psychological and financial abuse. These cases often require further scrutiny by the court by way of finding of fact hearings in which evidence is called and challenged by the parties in relation to allegations made and a Judge decides on the factual matrix of the case. Such cases always require further input from Cafcass in relation to recommendations for contact, or not, between the parents and the child(ren).
Jasmine’s previous extensive experience of cross examination of witnesses, including highly vulnerable and expert witnesses, in criminal cases, makes her an advocate of choice by lay and professional clients when case facts require the upmost scrutiny of evidence. This can also be in relation to the challenging witnesses such as social workers and children’s professional guardian’s appointed by the Family Court.
Jasmine is usually instructed in cases of a complex nature which are often quasi care cases, requiring Section 37 reports from a local authority, cases where parents are in intractable disputes, cases involving an international element such as the relocation of children outside of the jurisdiction and the temporary removal of children outside of the jurisdiction to countries that are often experiencing the remnants of war and on-going political instability.
Jasmine is professional, yet grounded; she has a strong instinct in detecting those clients that may have neurodiverse and mental health challenges and has been instrumental over her years in practice of ensuring that intermediaries or psychologists have undertaken a professional assessment of her lay clients in order that her lay clients are able to have the opportunity to give their “best” evidence to the court.
Financial Remedies
Jasmine has recently undertaken further professional training and judicial marshalling in relation to Financial Remedies after the breakdown of a marriage and now takes instructions in relation to First Appointments and Financial Dispute Resolution hearings and has settled such cases at FDRs. Such cases often involve a background of children law issues or domestic abuse or both and her private law family practice suitably marries the two separate areas of law, well.
Jasmine is of dual heritage is very much in tune with clients and cases involving alternative cultural issues and international elements.
Jasmine is accredited by the Bar Council in relation to Public Access cases and she is authorised to Litigate in cases too.
Significant Cases
Re F
Instructed on a VHCC case; represented the father an Albanian national married to a Romanian national. Both their children (Albanian and Romanian subjects) were removed under an Interim Care Order as the mother had caused non accidental injury to her daughter and she had undergone sustained neglect and psychological abuse. Baby boy, my client’s son was also removed, they were placed together in foster care. This was an international case involving family assessments from Greece, Romania and Albania regarding potential alternative carers for the children. The mother was convicted of assaulting her daughter and sentenced to a suspended prison sentence. Both parents were subject to negative parenting assessments, the foster carers wished to be special guardians to both children. I acted until the Issues Resolution hearing.
Re G
Represented a mother who had a learning disability in a case whereby Final Care and Placement Orders were made and the parents sought return of her son. The case involved the instruction of a second Independent Social Worker, a Clinical Psychologist and an Intermediary. The Placement Order was revoked after a contested hearing involving cross examination of the ISW and a Reunification Plan was put in place for the child to return to his parents. This case was complex in as much as it involved two separate Local Authorities as the parents had since moved after the initial Placement and Final Care Order was made and had a subsequent child who was within their care. Both Local Authorities had reached different conclusions on whether or not the parents could give the children good enough care.
Re C
Represented a father whereby multiple parents and extended family members were parties and a 5 sibling group were subject to multiple Court Orders including Interim Care Orders; Interim Child Arrangement Orders and Interim Supervision Orders with different carers. The case was listed for a final 8 day composite hearing before a Circuit Judge, my client was defending allegations of non -accidental injuries to his son, the case resolved at trial. The mother accepted causing the child’s injuries. My client maintained his Child Arrangement Order with his son living with him.
Re P
Represented a father, his baby boy was unexpectedly delivered into a toilet basin as the mother stated that she did not know that she was pregnant, child subject to Interim Care Order. The Local Authority alleged a concealed pregnancy as the mother had three children made subject to Adoption before she met my client. Both parents were made subject to a residential placement during the Lockdown period and were housed some 200 miles away from their home. Both parents completed successful PAMS assessments. The parents returned to the community with their son. My client required an intermediary during proceedings due to his previous diagnosis of Autism. The case resolved with an agreed Supervision Order. The Local Authority did not pursue findings against the mother of a concealed pregnancy after the father provided compelling evidence that he nor the mother was aware of the mother’s pregnancy.
Re P
Represented a mother resident in a refuge as her eldest daughter had been subjected to CSE in a different location and the mother had to be re-housed due to her own personal protection from a criminal group. My client’s other 4 children were removed from the refuge under Interim Care Order when the children discovered their mother unconscious after drink and drug use. The Local Authority sought adoption of youngest child aged just 2 years old, the mother opposed the separation of the sibling group and the Court ruled in her favour. Final Care Orders were made and the sibling group remained together. The mother and her daughter gave evidence in criminal proceedings during the on-going family proceedings and was an extremely delicate and emotional client for obvious reasons. I built an excellent working and trusted relationship with the mother over the course of the proceedings.
Re S
Represented a father in private law proceedings whereby 14 allegations were made against him, of which my client contested all allegations. The mother had special measures throughout the 4 days contested hearing before a Recorder. The allegations were complex and involved linked criminal proceedings whereby my client had previously pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. 11 of the 14 allegations were proved. The father sought contact with this two young children after not seeing them for some 18 months.
