‘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
DoL stands for ‘Deprivation of Liberty’ and means that a person’s freedom is taken away from them. Being deprived of liberty will mean that a person is under continuous supervision and control and is not permitted to
A New Build Property is a property that has never been lived in before and has been recently constructed. Buying a New Build property is different from buying an older property, so it is important that you
Section 70 Domestic Abuse Act 2021, introduced offences of non-fatal strangulation and non-fatal suffocation, these offences came into force on 7th June 2022. What is the offence of strangulation or suffocation? The legislation states that a person
If you are acting as an Executor or Administrator you have a legal obligation to ensure you have found and dealt with all of the assets in the estate of the deceased and that you are proving
From 31st May 2022, the sentencing guidelines for child sexual offences where no child existed or is harmed will be revised. What are the changes? The new guidelines coming into force provide Judges and Magistrates with guidance
WHAT IS SEXSOMNIA? Sexsomnia is sexual behaviour while asleep. It is recognised in both sleep disorder and psychiatric classifications. Sexsomnia occurs when the brain is disassociated or partially disassociated and covers a wide range of sexual behaviours.
The government established the Independent Human Rights Act Review in December 2020 to examine the framework of the Human Rights Act. The review looked at how it operates in practice and whether there was a need for change,
From April to May 2021, millions of children in England told the Government what their childhoods should look like in the largest consultation undertaken in England. ‘The Big Ask’ survey was led by the Children’s Commissioner for
The week commencing 10th May is mental health awareness week. Having lived through the period of Covid-19 and Lockdown, mental health has become more openly discussed and we are being urged to take care of our mental health
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
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,
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
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
Is it an offence to drive after I have smoked cannabis? It is an offence under S5A, of the Road Traffic Act 1988, if you drive, attempt to drive or be in charge of a motor vehicle with
The pandemic has shifted the way in which we all think about technology. We are all relying on technology more and the importance of having effective systems in place has increased to allow us to continue to
The law relating to Landlords and Tenants is complex, and a landlord will need to demonstrate compliance if they want to recover possession of a property that they let out under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST). Documentation/information
You will see from recent news the answer is yes! The National Crime Agency have today announced that they have successfully penetrated a top secret communications system commonly used for illegal activity. How will the police know
The creation of a Will ensures that following your death your wishes regarding your personal possessions, such as jewellery and family mementos are passed on to those you wish to receive them. As well as this, creation
A Court of Appeal judgment handed down this week spells good news for landlords who failed to supply a copy of a valid gas safety certificate to their tenant before they moved in. If a landlord wants
Legal rights are conferred upon a person when they marry or enter into a civil partnership. These rights include: to inherit automatically if their spouse/civil partner dies intestate (without a will) to a degree of financial support
I was sleeping in my car after drinking. Have I committed an offence? Many people are unaware that simply being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal alcohol limit is an offence. You may be
Johnson Astills join many people and organisations across the globe. We stand in solidarity with our Black and Ethnic Minority clients and colleagues and stand by our commitment to challenge discrimination and racism wherever we find it.
Are speeding drivers flouting the law during lockdown? With less people travelling to work following government advice to stay alert and stay at home where you can, it would be reasonable to expect a significant fall in
May is mental health awareness month with Mental Health Awareness week being 18th-24th May 2020. This year the focus of the week was to Be Kind. In 2020 a lot has happened and being kind has been
What can you do if you are a victim of domestic abuse during lockdown? Boots and other supermarkets are offering safe spaces to victims, where you can access the 24 hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline and the
Are the criminal courts still dealing with cases during lock-down? The criminal courts are continuing to deal with cases throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Both the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts in Leicester are operating but they are dealing
In a word, YES! It is important that you also know your rights remain the same…. What are my rights if the police want to interview me? If your are interviewed by the Police either under arrest
The demand for Wills over the past few months in light of Covid-19 has seen a 75% increase in those creating or updating Wills. It is more important than ever to ensure the ability to create a
Johnson Astills are delighted to announce that senior Dispute Resolution solicitor Laura Anderson has joined the firm. Laura’s appointment means that our clients can now access advice across an even broader range of legal matters. Laura says:
Clients old and new have been in touch in the last couple of weeks to seek guidance and reassurance of their position by law in relation to their living and contact arrangements for their children when separated
Covid-19 can potentially impact conveyancing transactions in the following ways: Purchasers request for properties to be decontaminated; Sellers refuse to vacate on completion due to self-isolation; Banking system disruption; Booking removal companies or companies are reluctant to enter
It has recently been announced that anyone using coronavirus to threaten emergency and essential workers faces serious criminal charges. This intervention comes after reports in recent days of police and other key workers being deliberately coughed at
The Care Team at Johnson Astills has had to make a few changes this week. On Tuesday 24th March 2020, our Leicester and Loughborough offices closed temporarily following Government guidance relating to the Coronavirus (Covid-19). However, we
Following Government advice, Johnson Astills have temporarily closed both offices in Leicester and Loughborough, however we are still fully operational and our phone lines remain open. We want to thank each and every keyworker for the hard
Purchasing a new build property is purchasing your new house before it is even built or whilst it is being built. The Conveyancing transaction is slightly different to a normal residential purchase of a home when the
It is an offence to fail to stop at the scene of an accident, this offence carries a maximum penalty of 6 months imprisonment. The law requires you to stop at the scene of a motoring accident
Purchasing a property is one of the most important financial decision you will ever make. The process can also be time consuming and you would be required to make numerous important decisions. Here are some of our
Selling your house can be a complicated process along with it being stressful trying to plan the whole move. Our Johnson Astills conveyancing specialists are here to make the transaction as smooth as possible. Below are a
The Local Authority have concerns about domestic abuse around my children – what should I do? The Local Authority may be alerted to concerns about domestic violence by concerned family members, members of the public or professionals.
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
