The statistics were obtained from HM Courts and Tribunals Service and the Ministry of Justice by Mark Lopatin, the founder of a mediation company. New rules now require ex-partners to consider mediation in cases relating to children and finance. He said: ‘Requiring someone to consider mediation in the context of litigation is unlikely to deter huge numbers from the family court. Making family law services more affordable is the answer which requires lawyers and mediators to work in tandem.’ Source: Financial Times