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National Stalking Awareness Week

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This year, National Stalking Awareness Week will take place on 21st April – 27th April 2025 and the aim is to raise awareness around the signs of and how to spot stalking. It is estimated 1 in 5 women,

What is a Transfer of Equity?

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When the legal ownership of a property is transferred, this is known as a transfer of equity. This process allows property owners to add their names onto the title of the property or remove themselves from the

What will happen at a Child Protection Conference?

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Child protection conferences are an important part of the child safeguarding process. When professionals suspect that a child is at risk of significant harm, a Child Protection Conference may be arranged to assess the situation, create a

Civil Partnerships 20 years on…

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This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 which came into force on 5th December 2005. The first civil partnership registration took place on that same day allowing same-sex couples to enter a similar lifelong

What is the Pathfinder Pilot Scheme?

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The aim of the Pathfinder pilot is to bring together local authorities, police and other support services to gather and share information on a private law (applications brought about by parents) children case at the earliest opportunity.

Property Transaction Timescales

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Any type of property transaction involves several important steps and sometimes this process can be time consuming. As we draw closer to the Stamp Duty Land Tax deadline on the 31st March 2025, thousands of individuals across England

The Probate fee increase has been scrapped!

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In order to obtain a Grant of Representation from the Probate Registry (which includes a Grant of Probate), an application fee must be paid. The application fee is currently a flat fee of £155 if a Solicitor

Internal and External Relocation

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It is not uncommon that following a breakdown of a relationship, that one party wishes to relocate (with their child(ren)) either in the UK or abroad. This can be a complicated and emotional process with legal implications

What do Financial Remedies Proceedings look like?

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In most cases, the dispute between spouses can be resolved without an application to the Court to commence financial remedy proceedings needing to be made. Some cases though cannot be resolved amicably, so it is useful to

Parental Alienation

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What the 2024 Family Justice Council Guidance means for future Court cases Over recent years, the term Parental Alienation has become increasingly common, especially within Court proceedings relating to children. Allegations of alienating behaviours are often (but

Can I give my house to my children before I die?

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There are various points to consider before gifting your property to someone else, including but not limited to: deliberate deprivation, gift with a reservation of benefit and potentially exempt transfers. What is Deliberate Deprivation of Assets? This

Crowned with Care

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For all children, going into the Care system can be extremely daunting. Local Authorities do their utmost to ensure that children are placed with culturally appropriate foster carers, but this is not always the case. Can you

Divorce Day 2025

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What is Divorce Day? It is believed that couples are more likely to end a relationship after spending the  festive period together, therefore the first working Monday of the new year is referred to as ‘Divorce Day’.

Navigating Pensions in Divorce Proceedings

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It can be a challenging prospect trying to deal with pensions in divorce proceedings. However, it is an asset that your spouse can make a claim over when considering how to divide the finances of the relationship.

The Queen and Domestic Abuse

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On Monday 11th November, ITV released a documentary entitled “Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors” which told the story of several domestic abuse survivors and detailed the Queen’s work to raise awareness about the prevalence of

What is a Section 7 Report?

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A Section 7 Report is a court-ordered document prepared under Section 7 of the Children Act 1989. It is ordered when parents cannot agree on arrangements for children’s care, usually only if there are any aspects of

How long will my information stay on Police Record?

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The Police National Computer (PNC) retains all records of arrests and summons, regardless of the outcome. This information remains on the system until the individual reaches 100 years old. In addition to police records, DNA profiles and

Do I Need a Legal Representative for a Police Interview?

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Yes! Whether you are under arrest or asked to attend the police station voluntarily, being interviewed by police under caution can be an intimidating experience, a legal representative can safeguard your interests, ensure your rights are protected,

What is an application for Exceptional Hardship?

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An application for exceptional hardship can be made when a driver accumulates 12 or more penalty points on their licence within any 3-year period, leading to a potential disqualification under the totting up ban provisions in Section

How accurate can hair strand tests be?

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Often drug and alcohol tests are ordered during the care proceedings process. Parents are required to provide a section of their hair which is tested to consider if they have been misusing substances. It has recently been

Will I be affected by the Autumn Budget?

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What is the Autumn Budget? The Autumn Budget is an update from the UK Government about the state of the economy. It was launched on 1st November 2024. According to the UK Government, the aim of the

What is a Risk Assessment?

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If the Local Authority is completing a risk assessment, they are doing so to determine if there is a likelihood of a significant risk of harm to a child. This could be due to concerns regarding domestic

What is a Special Guardianship Order?

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A Special Guardianship Order can be made when the Court determines that a child requires a long-term and stable placement which offers more permanence than a Child Arrangement Order. The need for a Special Guardianship Order can

What is an Advance Decision?

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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 mental capacity to make these decisions. It only applies to refusing specific

‘Thank you so much. We needed your help and support in such a vulnerable time in our lives.’

‘Although our partnership was under unpleasant circumstances, working with you make it a pleasure! I can’t thank you enough for making these months a positive experience as I always was assured of your support in the background. I will not hesitate to recommend you highly to anyone who needs your services.’

‘Having had experience of your organisation, my confidence in you grew. I would have no hesitation in asking you for any necessary representation in the future. Relatives and friends have already been told of my satisfaction. Thank you and well done!’

‘I am perfectly satisfied with the way the case was handled. My solicitor was very efficient, easy to communicate with and was very clear on what the outcome would or could be and who worked well.’

‘Thank you for your kindness. Sometimes it is not easy when you are trying to express how you gave us happiness. A very big thank you!’

‘I cannot fault my experience with Johnson Astills Solicitors. Throughout this difficult time I was made to feel secure, supported and validated – money can’t actually buy these things.’