Blog

Can I Leave Cryptocurrency In My Will?

Cryptocurrency is becoming more and more common in the investment market with at least 4.2 million people in the UK currently owning it in some form or another. You may choose to leave your digital assets to

What is a Fact-Finding Hearing?

The Court has the power to order a fact-finding hearing in care proceedings, yet many parents did not know what a fact-finding hearing is until speaking to a solicitor. This article aims to explain what a fact-finding

Special Reasons – Drink Driving

Special Reasons it is not a defence but an argument surrounding the circumstances of the offence and if argued successfully, could avoid or reduce a disqualification. The argument is specifically around the drink driving incident itself and

Will I get extra support during Care Proceedings?

If you are a parent with additional needs, such as learning difficulties or cognitive functioning issues and the Local Authority are involved with your children, you may be entitled to extra support. What are Care Proceedings? When

Can the media report on my family court proceedings?

Generally, those subject to family court proceedings are protected from the details of their case being shared with the public. This applies to both private and public law family proceedings and only very limited reporting can take

Women in Law

As International Women’s Day on 8 March 2023 approaches, we are reflecting on the numerous and varied roles that women play in our society. It’s a time for looking forward, but also reflecting on the past. With

Romantic Contracts: Pre-nuptial Agreements

Divorce solicitors and Valentine’s Day are not typically topics mentioned in the same sentence.  However, as pre-nuptial agreements become more widely used, what better time to consider preparing a pre-nuptial agreement than Valentine’s Day, when many couples

Can I Oppose an Adoption Application?

The Local Authority might have been successful in obtaining a care and placement order for your child, but that does not mean that your child will be adopted once a prospective adopter has been found. With permission

Time to Talk – 2nd February 2023

What is Time to Talk Day? This year, Time to Talk day is on 2 February 2023. The day is organised by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness and promotes having conversations about mental health and how we

Voluntary Interviews – what are they?

Have you been asked by the Police to attend a voluntary interview, for a talk? A voluntary interview is conducted by a Police Officer when investigating a criminal offence, the person being interviewed is the suspect in

What is sexual assault and how can I get help?

Sexual assault happens when someone touches another person in a sexual manner without their consent.  The Sexual Offences Act 2003 says that someone commits sexual assault if all of the following happens; They intentionally touch another person.

“Divorce Day” 2023

Divorce Day 2023 We know that the New Year is typically a time for reflection, and this includes thinking about relationships. Often, this period sees an increase in couples deciding to end their marriage or civil partnership.

Holidays are Approaching…

The Christmas season is fast approaching and the party season is well underway. Christmas drink drive campaigns may be starting to appear from local police forces. This will mean that once again police will be targeting drink

What is a ‘Nesting’ arrangement?

What is a ‘Nesting’ arrangement? A ‘nesting’ arrangement is a type of shared care arrangement in respect of children, after parents have separated. With nesting, the children stay in the family home and the parents move around

Football Banning Orders and the World Cup

In the 2021-2022 season the police continued to take action over disruptive fans at football, with over 2,100 arrests and 516 new Football Banning Orders issued. There is no doubt therefore that with the World Cup taking

What is Pre-Proceedings?

The Local Authority issue the pre-proceedings process where there are significant concerns regarding a child or children that are suffering harm or a child or children that are likely to suffer serious harm. This could be physical,

GOOD DIVORCE WEEK (28 Nov – 2 Dec ’22)

‘Good Divorce Week’ is an annual campaign by Resolution, a community of family solicitors and other professionals who work with families and individuals promoting a non-confrontational approach to resolving family issues, including divorce, the financial aspects of

Domestic abuse will rise during the World Cup

For some people, the World Cup is nothing more than a passion for football. For others, it can ignite a fear of abuse from a partner with pre-existing patterns of this behaviour, causing anxieties and worry. Research

National DoLs Court: a quarterly update

Following on from the National Deprivation of Liberty (DoLs) Court being announced in July 2022, the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory have published data in relation to the use of such applications. Over the first 3 months, there

International Men’s Day 2022

Every year, International Men’s Day is recognised on 19th November. This year’s International Men’s Day theme is “Helping Men and Boys”. The month of November is a significant time for men as it is also Movember where

Can I challenge my Police Bail Conditions?

If you feel that the police have imposed strict and unworkable bail conditions on you, our expert criminal defence solicitors at Johnson Astills can make an application to the Magistrates’ Court to have them changed or removed.

World Menopause Day

Today is World Menopause Day.  A day providing an opportunity to break stigma that unfortunately still exist around menopause. A day to encourage open discussions about a natural transition in a woman’s life. Johnson Astills prides itself

What is child protection?

Child protection is about making sure children are kept safe and free from harm. Local Authority Children’s Services often become involved with families where children might be at risk of harm. Child protection means that professional services

Stamp Duty Land Tax Changes- September 2023

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng announced changes to the Stamp Duty Land Tax rules and these changes are effective from Friday 23rd September 2022.   This means that regardless of when exchange of contracts took place,

Life Interest Trusts in Wills

What is a Life Interest Trust? A Life Interest Trust is a Trust included in your Will and can be a way, in certain situations, of protecting your share of your house for future generations after you

World Suicide Prevention Day

10th September 2022 – World Suicide Prevention Day #WorldSuicidePreventionDay Suicide and mental health are often seen as taboo topics and something that people are often scared to talk about. This stigma around mental health and suicide needs

Freehold vs Leasehold

When purchasing a property in the UK, the property can be either freehold or leasehold.  The two are quite different and it is important to understand the differences when searching for a property to buy.  Here at

Pensions and Life Insurance Policies?

When making or reviewing your Will and your Inheritance Tax position, considering how you hold your pension and Life Insurance Policies is very important. At Johnson Astills, we provide a comprehensive Will writing service and place great

What is an Emergency Protection Order (EPO)?

An Emergency Protection Order (EPO) is a time limited protective order for emergency situation whereby there is reasonable cause to believe that a child is likely to suffer significant harm on 3 grounds: The child is not

Things to know when Selling your Property

Selling your property, although may sound straightforward can often become prolonged and complicated. Not all transactions are the same due to several reasons but here at Johnson Astills, we are here to make the journey as smooth

Regional Legal Aid Firm of 2022 at the LALYs!

‘A Team of Fabulous Women!’ and ‘Leicester Legal Aid Legends’: Johnson Astills declared the Regional Legal Aid Firm of 2022 at the LALYs! What are the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards (LALYS)? On Tuesday 12