Johnson Astills 
What is a Care Order in my Care Proceedings case? A care order gives the local authority parental responsibility for the child. The court may make an interim care order so that arrangements can be made to
You may choose to share the location of your Will with your family members or perhaps you keep a good record in your files. However, family members may not remember what you have told them or are
A sale transaction may sound simple and straightforward but there is a lot of work that needs to be carried out by Solicitors. Sale transactions can easily become complicated or prolonged. Not all transactions are the same
When you are going through a separation, your first thought might be to start divorce proceedings, but it is important to try and reach an agreement in relation to the finances at the same time. This can
The government closed access to new help to buy ISA accounts from 30th November 2019 and onwards. If you were fortunate enough to have opened a help to buy ISA prior to this date this guide will
It is common that when a relationship breaks down, conversations need to be had about the arrangements for the children to be able to spend time with both parents. It is always best if parents can reach
As of 1st April 2021, new electrical regulations came into force requiring Landlords to arrange an inspection and to supply an electrical safety certificate for all privately rented properties. What are the Regulations? The electrical inspections must
In August and November 2019, I wrote articles considering whether Special Guardianship Orders required reform. The case of Re P-S (Children) [2018] EWCA Civ 1407 spurred the need for change. Developments continue within this area of law. Recently,
An Appointee is an individual/organisation registered with the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP). The nominated Appointee is allowed to receive another person’s benefits when they are unable to manage their finances. This could be due to
The 1st April 2021 will see updated and new sentencing guidelines for some drug offences come into force. These will apply to all cases sentenced on or after 1st April 2021. The updated and new guidelines are
Trying to agree a financial settlement during a divorce can be an intimidating and daunting prospect. In order to ensure a fair and reasonable settlement, we always advise clients of the need to exchange full and frank
When a relationship breaks down, many issues can need resolving such as finances, divorce proceedings and often child arrangements. Sometimes it can be difficult to resolve these issues with your former partner and conversations may become heated.
On the 10th February 2021, The Housing Secretary, Robert Jenrick discussed the issues surrounding cladding in the House of Commons and unveiled a five-point plan to bring an end to unsafe cladding. The Grenfell fire tragedy has
Are you looking to sell your home or investment property? One of the most important decisions you can make when selling your home is whether to sell through an estate agent or to arrange your sale privately
There are two types of investigations, a Section 47 investigation, and a Section 17 investigation. Within 24 hours of suspected harm being reported it is the Social Workers decision in regards to what investigation is required. They
What does this mean for you? We at Johnson Astills are excited to welcome the government’s announcement confirming the extension of the stamp duty holiday to 30th June 2021. What is the Stamp Duty Holiday? The Stamp
What can I do in these circumstances? Parents often ask this question when seeking advice from our Care Team: When Social Services become involved with parents in relation to concerns about their child, they sometimes ask one
From 1st April 2021, all non-UK residents who purchase a property will be liable for a new surcharge of stamp duty land tax (SDLT). An additional 2% will be payable on all purchases of residential property (freehold
It has long been an issue that if a person has equity in a property over and above £8,000 (after all disregards are taken into consideration) then they will be refused Legal Aid on the basis of
A new guideline for sentencing offenders with mental disorders, developmental disorders and neurological impairments has recently come into force. The new guidelines provide transparency and clarity for sentencing offenders with development disorders, mental disorders and neurological impairments.
Deciding to separate or divorce is one of the hardest decisions to make, but the process itself does not have to be difficult. Once you have decided to separate the first step should be finding the right
First time buyer looking to get on the property ladder? At Johnson Astills we are here to guide you through the legal process of buying a property. The most essential factor to determine if you can buy
The Local Authority can become involved in your family life for a number of reasons. This may be because they think you or someone else in your family may have done something to harm the child/children. They
As the country goes into a third national lockdown the Lord Chancellor has confirmed that the criminal courts will not be closed. Attending court is a legal exemption to the national lockdown ‘stay at home’ restriction. Judges,
As England is placed into another national lockdown, many parents will have concerns about what impact this has on Child Arrangements. The government have released national lockdown guidance which includes direction for child arrangement matters. The government
Selling your House can be a stressful time, with many forms and documents which you will be required to complete which will be unfamiliar to you. Below we will break down the 3 main forms used when
When you are purchasing a residential property, you will need searches carried out on the property. These are essential as they can help identify any previous planning permissions or building regulations which apply for the property. It
There are two types of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA); one which deals with your Property and Financial Affairs and one which deals with your Health and Welfare. In this article, we will be discussing the Health
The Guardianship Act was bought into power in 2019 to help families deal with the affairs of a missing loved one. Prior to this act being bought in, the only way to deal with a missing person’s
The Local Authority have concerns about drug use and excessive use of alcohol around my children – what should I do? Worried family members, professionals or members of the public may notify the Local Authority of concerns
The Government announced in July 2020 the new reduced stamp duty rates, which meant that residential purchasers only paid stamp duty on properties above £500,000.00. If residential purchasers were subject to higher rate stamp duty then the
It is regularly reported in the newspapers that the number of Rape prosecutions are falling. Early this year in order to identify areas for improvement the Crown Prosecution Service published a five-year strategy to look at all
During the first lockdown due to Covid-19 in March 2020, there was an alarming rise of 20% of accidental injuries in children under 12 months old. According to Ofsted, these children were either seriously injured or killed
There are now two different routes to qualify as a solicitor following the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). The traditional route to qualifying has the following requirements:- Qualifying Law degree If you have obtained a
It goes without saying that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact in virtually every aspect of our lives. Arguably, one of the most significant changes for us at Johnson Astills, and for our clients, is
It was World Mental Health Day this year on the 10 October. The Mental Health Foundation suggests that ‘Tea and Talk’ is a great way to come together in difficult times to raise awareness for mental health.
When it comes to making a Will, there are two main pieces of advice that we at Johnson Astills give our clients. The first is to actually make one, and not keep putting it off. The second
In the UK, the scale and impact of institutionalised racism has been laid bare, with young Black men stopped and searched 20,000 times in London during the coronavirus lockdown, along with Black MPs, barristers, senior police officers,
Since the Covid-19 lockdown, there has been a sharp rise in reports of domestic abuse. The head of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, declared that violence against women and girls is a “shadow pandemic” during the wider coronavirus
What is Voyeurism? Voyeurism is a relatively new offence which was implemented by the Voyeurism (Offences) Act, 2019 and introduced 2 new offences. A person commits voyeurism under Section 67A (1): where they operate equipment, under another
The Government has introduced The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020 No.757) which has amended the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987. The new Regulations came into effect on
Due to the Current pandemic which has affected every country globally, the UK government introduced temporary changes to the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) effective from the 8th July 2020 until 31st March 2021. The temporary SDLT
Legal practitioners in the field of childcare law will be aware that Covid-19 epidemic has significantly challenged the family justice system. This article covers the issues around contact with a child in care and the legal principles,
Serious high-profile criminal cases can now be seen and heard by TV and online audiences after new Legislation was laid before parliament on 16th January 2020. This marks a huge change as filming has only been permitted
Following the difficult times we have all suffered this year with the Covid-19 pandemic it will be easy to get caught up in the bank holiday spirit, especially as this bank holiday the bars in Leicester and
When the Court decide how to distribute assets following the breakdown of a marriage, they have to consider the checklist contained within Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. The main principle is that the settlement
Care Proceedings begin when the Local Authority believe that your children have suffered or may be at risk of harm. The Local Authority will ask the Court to look at your situation and decide if the Local
Since the pandemic and subsequent lockdown in March 2020 the demand by individuals wanting to create a Will increased and solicitors have been challenged with finding new ways to ensure that Wills are witnessed and executed correctly
What is modern slavery? An offence of Modern Slavery is committed when someone holds another in slavery or servitude or when another person is made to perform forced or compulsory labour. What does modern slavery involve? The
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every corner of daily life and has changed our way of living beyond recognition. The impact of the virus has meant that it will continue to cause disruption to society for considerable
