Johnson Astills 
Up until 2004 same sex couples had little rights in order to formalise their relationships. Civil Partnerships were therefore created in 2004 to give same sex couples similar legal and financial protection to a married couple. Marriage
The Local Authority has many responsibilities. Some of these responsibilities are voluntary in nature and some of them are mandatory and are contained in the Children Act 1989, which is an important piece of legislation. This article
County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of “deal
Carrying an offensive weapon is a serious offence. The unlawful provision and possession of weapons encourages violence and can cause serious injury and death. In addition to this possession of weapons also assists in the facilitation of
These enquiries refer to section 47 of the Children Act 1989. Section 47 of the Act covers a Local Authority’s, or Social Services, duty to carry out an investigation or assessment when they are informed that a child,
A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that allows you (the donor) to appoint attorneys to make decisions on your behalf. Most people appoint trusted friends or relatives. Some decide to appoint professional attorneys and, in
Under Section 34(1) of the Children Act 1989, where a child is in the care of a Local Authority, the Local Authority must allow ‘reasonable contact’ between a child in its care and their parents, guardian and
Buying and/or selling a house can be a stressful period in your life with constant pressure to exchange contracts as quickly as possible. What happens if you discover the seller was a fraudster after contracts were exchanged
Gemma Curtis, a solicitor in our care team entered the Great North Run 2018 and ran for Emery Johnson Astills’ chosen charity – Bodie Hodges Foundation. The Great North Run is the biggest half marathon in the
Where a child has suffered an injury and the cause of this injury is unknown, the Family Court may decide that a Fact Finding Hearing is necessary to hear the evidence available. The Court will hear evidence
CAFCASS stands for Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. CAFCASS represent children in Family Court cases in England. Their role is to put children’s wishes and feelings forward and make sure that decisions are made
Emery Johnson Astills had yet another fantastic day at Leicester Pride on Saturday 1st September 2018. The event is Leicester’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) festival and takes place at
Gemma Curtis, a Solicitor from our Care Team, is running the Great North Run on 9th September 2018. Gemma is doing this to raise money for the Bodie Hodges Foundation, which is the chosen
Publicity surrounding reports of incidents involving the use of acid or other corrosive substances have increased recently, with questions being asked as to how offenders who threaten or attack people with such substances are dealt with by
On Saturday 25th August 2018 Emma Stanbanks, Senior Associate and Joint Head of the Care Team took part in the Great Scottish Swim in aid of our charity of the year, the Bodie Hodges Foundation. Emma braved
The number of unmarried cohabiting couples has almost doubled from 1.5 million in 1996 to 3.3 million in 2017. A recent survey showed as many as two in three cohabiting couples are unaware that there is no
It is important to make a Will to ensure that your estate passes as you wish when you die. Your estate includes your house, money in bank accounts and even your jewellery. If you do not make
A Written Agreement is a tool that is often used by Children’s Social Care (Local Authorities) when working with children and families. They can be used when children are subject to Child in Need Plans, Child Protection
The UK has seen a rise on the use of Drones for both fun and commercial use. However as a result of new laws being brought in, people found flying drones above 400ft and within a kilometre
A Family Assistance Order (FAO) is a short-term order which the Court can grant under Section 16 of the Children Act 1989 requiring a CAFCASS officer or an officer from the Local Authority to advise, assist and
A new psychoactive substance has sparked a crisis in a UK city – where the drug is bought for as little as £2 a hit. The synthetic drug, dubbed ‘monkey dust’, is sending increasing numbers of people
The High Court has made a ruling recognising Sharia Law for the first time in a British Court. This could change the way Islamic marriage and divorce works in the UK. Mr Khan and Mrs Akhtar’s marriage
Pre-Contract searches reveal additional information about the property you plan to purchase. You can withdraw from the transaction without penalty prior to the exchange, if you discover something about the property you are not happy with. Your solicitor
“The reformed prisons of the 1800’s with their new emphasis on rehabilitation were invented to destroy the criminal personality and to generate new life and a new law abiding identity. Predicated upon violence the prisons proved successful
Here at Emery Johnson Astills we understand that going through a divorce or separation can be an emotional and difficult time. It is generally better for everybody involved if arrangements between you can be agreed, this is
Johnson Astills have seen an increase in the number of cases before the Courts involving newer synthetic drugs. The offences were created by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 which came into force on 26th May 2016. The
Many people are confused about the elements of supplying controlled substances such as cannabis and cocaine, particularly where sharing illegal drugs amongst friends is concerned. It is an offence for a person to have a controlled drug
A further “penalty” of the World Cup, which has recently been reported on is the increase of domestic violence and abuse during the tournament. Research undertaken at Lancaster University has shown there is an increase in domestic
At Johnson Astills we know how frightening it can be to find yourself under investigation for or charged with a sexual offence. The chances are you will have no previous experience of being interviewed by the police or
Following a Government review into bike safety, plans are to be announced by the Transport Minister in relation to motorists driving too close to cyclists. The rules are being brought in to encourage more people to use
When a driver accumulates twelve or more penalty points within a three year period, the court will need to consider whether they should be disqualified under the totting up provisions. The Court guidelines state that where a
Leicester Legal Walk Many of our staff at Emery Johnson Astills took part in The Leicester Legal Walk yesterday, 4th June 2018. The Walk was 10km around the City of Leicester. Our route took us past many
What is stamp duty? Stamp duty is a lump sum that you are liable to pay when you buy a residential property or a piece of land costing more than £250,000.00 (or more than £40,000.00 for second homes). This
22nd May 2018 saw the first successful conviction in England for forced marriage. The mother of the victim, who was 17 at the time, fooled her daughter into going to Pakistan in September 2016 to marry a
In efforts to prevent drug misuse legal restrictions are placed on the creation, use and distribution of highly dangerous and harmful drugs. Under legislation controlled drugs are those classified as being of either class A, B or
Are you a parent and have you received a letter from the Local Authority asking you to attend a Pre-proceedings meeting? If you have, our specialist team at Johnson Astills can help you. A Pre-proceedings meeting means
At a time when you are already spending a lot of money, a survey can seem like a big expense. However due to the rule of ‘caveat emptor’ which stands for ‘buyer beware’ and puts the onus
The role of an intermediary was created by the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 to aid in criminal cases which involved vulnerable witnesses. However, the use of intermediaries has since spread to be included in
What could start out as a disagreement between two people could result in your arrest and ultimately a criminal conviction. In recent months even England Cricketer Ben Stokes has found himself charged with affray following an incident
In a segment on the Victoria Derbyshire show on BBC2 on Tuesday 17 April our Managing Partner and Solicitor Advocate, Helen Johnson appeared to discuss the implications of cuts and fees in criminal matters, particularly in relation
Energy Performance Certificate If you’re planning on selling your home, it is a legal requirement to provide the Buyers with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with a minimum rate of ‘E’. An EPC contains information about a
It has been reported by the BBC that the National Centre for Domestic Violence say that 6,000 victims of domestic abuse were denied free legal representation last year. Even when victims require Legal Aid to obtain Non-Molestation
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Alison Saunders (the Lawyer who leads and is ultimately responsible for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)) has announced that she will not be extending her five-year term and will be resigning.
With offences ranging from failing to wear a seatbelt to causing death by dangerous driving it is arguable that no other area of criminal law covers such a broad spectrum of offending behaviour. At Johnson Astills our
If you are a step-parent or a cohabiting couple you may have thought about making an application for an Adoption Order. A parent must apply jointly with you to adopt the child, both adults will then become
Britain’s most senior Judge, Sir James Munby has commented that marriage laws are “very badly in need of reform” and has called the current way financial settlements are dealt with as ‘Victorian’ and unfairly biased in
Under Section 46 of the Children Act 1989, the police have specific emergency protection powers that allow them to remove a child from their parents’ care without consent. This step can only be taken when a police
Social Services have a statutory obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. Families often feel anxious at the thought of Social Services becoming involved and about letting them into their homes. These worries are
Joint Tenants or Tenants in Common? As a prospective buyer, buying with another person can be an attractive option, allowing you to gather a bigger deposit and share your mortgage repayments. In England and Wales, there are
What does being released under investigation by the police mean? As a result of the introduction of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 the police can no longer release someone on bail for longer than 28 days,
