Family courts in England will soon be able to order DNA tests to establish a child’s parentage. It’s hoped the move will reduce delays and unnecessary arguments during divorce cases. The move follows concern that courtroom disputes over parentage are slowing down proceedings and making it harder for couples to reach a fair settlement. Two
Unmarried couples who share a home should consider drawing up an agreement about how much of the property each one of them owns. Failure to do so can lead to confusion and potential hardship, as illustrated in a recent case before the Court of Appeal. It involved a woman who had lived with her abusive
Leeds United Football Club has won a legal dispute involving an employee who was first selected for redundancy but then summarily dismissed after it was discovered that he had sent out obscene emails several years earlier. The case concerned the club’s former technical director Evan Williams. Mr Williams was made redundant in July 2013. A
There are many reasons why someone may require assistance in administering their financial affairs. The appointment of a legal representative to conduct your affairs is most usually achieved by creating a Power of Attorney. However, for those whose finances are very simple this is not always necessary; the Department for Work & Pensions has an
The government wants to promote mediation as a way of avoiding costly and sometimes “absurd” neighbour disputes. The move follows concerns expressed by the Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke about the way such disagreements often spiral out of control and end up costing far more than the dispute is actually worth. Mr Elphicke introduced a Private
A commercial property company has won a claim that its insurers should pay for damage caused maliciously by tenants. The case involved business tenants who had failed to pay rent and carry out certain work required under the terms of the lease. The property company tried to terminate the lease but the court allowed the
Developers have been granted permission to build 400 homes on a greenfield site despite local objections. The case involved Bewley Homes PLC, which wanted to develop a 46-hectare site near Guildford. The local borough council granted planning permission even though its local plan restricted development in the countryside beyond the green belt. The site was
A woman has lost her appeal against a judge’s decision that she and her husband should share their assets equally as part of their divorce settlement. The case involved a couple who had been married for four years and had a three-year-old daughter. They were both professionals but the wife had more earning power than
A married couple have been allowed to remove a clause from a trust document that could have cost their family £650,000 in tax liability. The issue arose after the husband set up a trust for which both he and his wife were among the trustees. When drawing up the trust, he decided to appoint certain
The Court of Protection exists to safeguard the interests of people who may be unable to look after themselves fully or make decisions on their own behalf. Sometimes the court may defend them against individuals seeking to exploit them, but it can also protect them against the heavy handed actions of official bodies, as illustrated