It has recently been reported in the Guardian, that Islamic faith marriages are not valid under English law. The judgement which was delivered on Friday, overturned a previous High Court ruling that an Islamic marriage known as
When someone you love or care about dies it is a very emotional time. Whilst you are still grieving you have to also think about dealing with the administration of their estate. If the deceased person left
Knife crime and crimes involving offensive weapons are on the rise with the highest number of convictions in a decade! How many convictions for knife offences were recorded in 2019? There were 14,135 offences of knife possession
New Police Powers in relation to Stalking coming into place – TODAY! The Stalking Protection Order (SPO) that can result in five years in prison Stalking was made a specific criminal offence in England and Wales in
There are many different ways in which you can be kept up to date with regards to your child’s well-being, whilst they are in the care of the Local Authority: You may be invited to attend a
Anyone that watches soaps will know they cover a wide range of important topics and some people question the reality of it with it being a soap. In Coronation Street presently, Fiz and Tyrone have had a
In June 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that civil partnerships would be available to heterosexual couples, as well as same-sex couples. A civil partnership is a legal relationship which when registered gives the relationship legal recognition and
The Court of Protection is a Court in England and Wales created under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The Court of Protection is responsible for protecting people who do not have the capacity to make decisions for
Can a 10 year old get a criminal record? Yes, in England and Wales the current age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old. This means that a 10 year old can be investigated by the police,
As the Christmas season approaches and work comes to an end for the year, the drinks begin to flow and celebrations commence. We could not think of a better way to celebrate the Festive Period than with
This year Johnson Astills teamed up with Will Aid to help support their fundraising campaign which involves nine of the UK’s leading charities. These include Action Aid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save the
What Brexit means for victims and survivors of domestic abuse. It’s the talk of the town. Brexit. Boris Johnson’s deal still hangs in limbo. A general election on the horizon and new deadline of 31st January 2020.
The Grandparents Plus charity recently carried out a survey of kindship carers in England and noted that the current situation is in a state of crisis: For the full report – ‘State of the Nation Survey Report’-
There are lots of different types of assessments that can be completed when Social Services become involved in your life. Here are examples of some of the assessments you may be asked to undertake. Every child who
Johnson Astills has recently developed an In-house Green and Sustainability Committee which has been aptly named ‘Think Green’ to improve the firm’s working practices and the employees’ approaches and attitudes towards sustainability in their everyday life. Johnson
When arrested by Police, there are various different outcomes, one of which is to release under investigation pending further enquiries which need to be conducted, this outcome is used instead of releasing on police bail. However, unlike
One in 50 children in the UK are classed as ‘Children in Need’ before they are even born. A study of Government figures show that more than 7,000 of such vulnerable children have been put in the
An advance decision is a statement of instructions about what medical and healthcare treatment you want to refuse in the future, in case you lose the capacity to make these decisions. It is important to note you
At Johnson Astills our criminal team regularly represent clients at the police station stage and before the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts to deal with the issue of bail. Can you be bailed from the police station without
The loophole that allows drivers who use mobile phones to escape prosecution is set to close. In September we did an article and video following the High Court’s decision to overturn the conviction of an individual who used his
If you are intending on purchasing a property with another person, you will need to consider how you both would like to hold the property. The type of ownership affects what you can do with the property
Yes, it is extremely important that you attend a Pre-Proceedings Meeting and that you seek legal advice. What is the Public Law Outline? The Public Law Outline set out the duties that Local Authorities must perform before
A Child Protection Medical is also known as a CP Medical, a Section 47 Medical or a Paediatric Medical Assessment. The Local Authority may request that a CP Medical is completed where there is suspicion or disclosure
Shaken Baby Syndrome or Abusive Head Trauma refers to the diagnosis given to a baby or infant where it is believed by medical professionals that their injuries are consistent with being violently shaken. Studies have found that
A national study was conducted in relation to Special Guardianship Orders and Supervision Orders. Special Guardianship Orders often involve family members stepping in to look after children who cannot live with their birth parents and these Orders
Can I speak to a solicitor prior to providing a specimen? Failing to provide a specimen of breath, urine or blood without reasonable excuse is a criminal offence. Often, a person may have a reasonable excuse for
He loves me, he loves me not… (A modern fairytale, or is it?) * N.B. The characters described in this story are fictitious. Sally* and David* met online, after David had sent her a friend request on
Whether you are arrested for a driving offence, shoplifting or murder the process of making an arrest and detention is the same. If you have never been in trouble with the Police before, you are unlikely to
FII stands for “Fabricated or Induced Illness” and it occurs where a parent or carer of a child exaggerates or causes a child to present with symptoms of an illness. FII is considered as a rare form
At Emery Johnson Astills our highly skilled and experienced criminal defence advocates regularly represent clients before the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts to deal with the issue of bail. Can you be bailed by the Magistrates’ Court? If
Did you know that since 1988, the legal profession has raised over £20 million for Will Aid charities! Johnson Astills have teamed up with Will Aid this year to help support their fundraising campaign which involves nine
Following a successful appeal against a conviction of using a mobile phone whilst driving the law around driving and mobile phones has been criticised by two High Court Judges. At the hearing the High Court judges agreed
Leicester Pride 2019 Emery Johnson Astills had a successful day at Leicester Pride on Saturday 31st August 2019. The event is Leicester’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) festival and takes place at Victoria Park which
If you are a Landlord renting a residential property under an assured shorthold tenancy that started after 6 April 2007, you are required to put the Tenant’s deposit in a government backed tenancy deposit scheme. The deposit
At Johnson Astills, our Wills and Probate Department can take the stress away and can assist with drafting and registering your LPAs. A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets the donor (you)
Background of the Special Guardianship Order (SGO): The purpose of an SGO is to give one or more individuals parental responsibility (PR) and to exercise this ‘to the exclusion of all others’. A Special Guardian can exercise
If social services are involved with your family, it is natural to feel overwhelmed. The Local Authority may become involved after receiving a referral from agencies such as education, health, or the police. The most important step
The Official Solicitor’s full job title is the Official Solicitor to Senior Courts. If someone lacks capacity within the meaning of Mental Capacity Act 2005 to conduct proceedings that person will require a litigation friend in those
What are “reporting restrictions”? In certain cases the court issues “reporting restrictions” preventing anything being published that would lead to the identification of a witness in the case. This could mean that you can’t identify the person
Why do I need to provide so many ID documents to my Solicitor in a Conveyancing transaction? The risk of fraud in the legal market has significantly increased and become an attractive target for fraudsters, particularly in
There is a common perception that when a couple get divorced, their finances are automatically settled. Unfortunately this is not the case as finances are considered as a completely separate entity to the divorce. This means that
The Children Act 1989 was granted Royal Assent on 16th November 1989 and came into force on 14th October 1991. It made radical changes to the law relating to children and their families both in relation to
The Threshold Criteria are the facts that the Local Authority must prove if they want the Court to make a Care or Supervision Order. The Threshold Criteria is found under Section 31 of the Children Act 1989.
What is IHT? IHT is the abbreviated term used for Inheritance Tax. This is a tax on the estate of someone who has died. There is usually no tax to pay if the net value of the
When the Local Authority has concerns about the welfare of a child in a person’s care, they may complete various assessments to establish what support the family may need. Early Help and Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) are both
Under the power of Wardship, the High Court can become a legal guardian for a child. This is only used when it has become necessary to protect and safeguard a child’s welfare. What is Wardship? Wardship is
Dozens of parents have told the BBC Victoria Derbyshire programme their abusive ex-partners were granted unsupervised contact with their child. When parents separate and they are unable to agree arrangements for their children, they may find themselves
Mental health is not talked about enough. Statistics show that mental health issues are much more common that you would think. 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem each year 1 in 6 people experience
In 2013, the Government created the Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme to assist first time buyers and homeowners buy a property. Under the scheme, the Government lends up to 20% of the cost of your newly
If you and your children are going through Care Proceedings and it has been agreed that a Sibling Attachment Assessment is required, here’s what to expect… Sibling relationships are emotionally powerful and critically important not only in
