Company News Archive
Same-Sex Couples and Parenthood
29th December 2010
When the relationship of a same-sex couple who have children breaks up, there can be a problem regarding the meaning of the word ‘parent’, because at least one of the couple will not be the biological parent of the children.
Beneficiary Fails in Bid to Bring Action on Behalf of Estate
23rd December 2010
In a long-running case, a beneficiary under an estate administrated by his brother failed in his attempt to bring an action against two firms of solicitors which...
IHT Nil Rate Band Transfers
21st December 2010
Inheritance Tax (IHT) allowances and reliefs are available individually to each taxpayer. Because transfers of assets between spouses or civil partners normally have no tax consequences for IHT purposes, it is easy to fall into the trap of...
Children and Contact Arrangements
20th December 2010
Two recent decisions in child contact cases illustrate that the courts recognise the importance, where possible, of children having a relationship with both of their parents. The
'Read and Understood' Not Enough, Says FSA
17th December 2010
When purchasing goods or services on the Internet, it is common for websites to include, normally at a stage before a contract is formed, a tick-box which must be completed to confirm that you have read and understood the necessary terms and...
Who Bears the Loss
17th December 2010
A recent case illustrates the wisdom, when purchasing a car, of always checking the background of the vehicle to identify the rightful owner and the terms under...
Mesothelioma Settlement Includes Cost of Hospice Care
17th December 2010
A recent court ruling resulted in an employer having to contribute towards the hospice care received by a former employee who had contracted mesothelioma. The man had worked at the Deptford power station more...
Why You Should Make a Will
15th December 2010
Earlier this year, YouGov carried out a poll on behalf of children’s charity Barnardo’s. The results indicate that...
Mortgage a Risk Ex-Wife Should be Allowed to Take
13th December 2010
When a marriage breaks up, the matrimonial home is often the subject of considerable dispute and it is common for an order to be made for it to be sold and the proceeds divided between the divorcing couple.
Mesothelioma Settlement Includes Cost of Hospice Care
10th December 2010
A recent court ruling resulted in an employer having to contribute towards the hospice care received by a former employee who had contracted mesothelioma. The man had worked at the Deptford power station more...
Mistakes, Mistakes
7th December 2010
Trustees who make mistakes that have unintended tax consequences can normally obtain relief from the court. Recently, a tax-avoidance exercise by which trustees of offshore trusts passed the absolute beneficial...
Varying a Will After the Testator's Death
3rd December 2010
Sometimes, after a person's death, it turns out that their will does not have the effect that was originally anticipated. This can happen if, for example, the family circumstances have changed since the will was made. In such situations, there...
'Read and Understood' Not Enough, Says FSA
2nd December 2010
When purchasing goods or services on the Internet, it is common for websites to include, normally at a stage before a contract is formed, a tick-box which must be completed to confirm that you have read and understood the necessary terms and...
Poor Plan on Conveyance - Court of Appeal Rules
30th November 2010
A poorly-drafted plan and a refusal to compromise have led to an argument over the boundary between two rural properties reaching the Court of Appeal.
Mental Capacity - What it is and What it Means
25th November 2010
Mental capacity has always been something of a problematic area of the law. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 was enacted to put mental...
HMRC Tax Attack on Property Undervaluation Successful
24th November 2010
A robust attitude taken by an executor to the valuation of a property came to nothing recently when HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) were successful in...
Warning to Holidaymakers and Non-Residents
22nd November 2010
Next time you take a holiday in Europe, make sure you have appropriate health insurance. Many British holidaymakers think that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will cover them if they are taken ill and...
Court Rejects Undue Influence Claim
21st November 2010
When estate assets are not divided as potential beneficiaries think they should be, disagreements often result. When there is a second family involved, legal challenges are relatively common. In a recent case,...
Unpaid Child Maintenance Leads to House Sale Freeze
21st November 2010
A wealthy man has had an order served on him by the court which prevents him from selling his house until he settles child maintenance arrears of more than £78,000. The man had failed to pay any maintenance...
Warning to Holidaymakers and Non-Residents
19th November 2010
Next time you take a holiday in Europe, make sure you have appropriate health insurance. Many British holidaymakers think that the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will cover them if they are taken ill and...
