A neighbour dispute over relatively trivial matters has led to financial disaster for one side and divorce for the other. The judge described it as a “sad and regrettable dispute” and urged the warring parties to make peace. The case involved a teacher and a photographer who made a series of complaints about each other’s
From 1st April 2013, the Small Claims Track increased from claims valued up to £5,000 to £10,000. Lower limits will apply to personal injury and housing disrepair claims. Although these claims will still be dealt with in the County Court, significantly different rules apply to claims once they are allocated to the Small Claims Track.
A woman who was sexually harassed by a male colleague at work has been awarded £12,293 compensation by an industrial tribunal. Noeleen McAleenon says she was subjected to inappropriate contact and degrading comments about her sex life while working for Autism Initiatives NI. She complained to her employer then later resigned because she felt her
There’s been a large increase in the number of couples drawing up living together agreements – sometimes known as cohabitation agreements or ‘no-nups’. Some family lawyers say the figures have doubled in the last few years. The increase coincides with the growing trend for parents to provide their children with large sums to help buy
A Government proposal could cut costs for many people planning to build a new home. Under the current system, new homes above a certain size are subject to the Community Infrastructure Levy. The levy allows councils to raise funds from developers undertaking new building projects in their area. The money raised is used to fund
Two women have successfully challenged their aunt’s will after discovering that they were to inherit nothing from her estate. The court heard that the aunt was very frail and confused in the latter years of her life. Her two nieces kept in touch with her but after the death of her husband, she was also
A father has won his appeal against a court decision that he should no longer have supervised contact with his two children. The man had originally been granted supervised contact because it was feared that he might abscond and take the children abroad if there was no supervision. The problem arose when he applied to
Setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) has become easier and quicker following changes to the registration process. Lasting Powers of Attorney enable you to appoint someone you trust to look after your affairs if you reach a point in the future where you can no longer make decisions for yourself due to ill
There has been a surge in the number of unfair dismissal claims as people try to avoid tribunal fees which come into effect in the summer. There were 15,300 claims in the third quarter of last year compared with 10,600 in the previous quarter – a rise of 44%. It’s thought the sudden increase is
A contractor has been found liable for the damage caused by a factory fire even though the client was partly responsible for what happened. The contractor had been hired to refurbish a factory roof. This required providing a suspended scaffold cage which contained gas-powered heaters. Part way through the contract a fire broke out causing