At Johnson Astills, we understand that dementia affects not only those living with the condition, but also their families and loved ones. Our Wills & Probate team, regularly meet clients who may be living with dementia or
We all experience moments in our lives when we feel vulnerable – perhaps due to mental or physical illness, grieving a loved one or simply facing difficult decisions. At times like these, we often need to seek
When a relationship breaks down, often, this can impact grandparents contact with their grandchildren. Unfortunately, grandparents do not have an automatic legal right to spend time with their grandchildren. However, as a last resort, grandparents can apply
The school summer holidays can be a lovely opportunity to spend with your children, but for parents who have separated, it can be a difficult time to navigate. There are many issues that can crop up about
The usual parties within Court Proceedings are those directly involved with the child, such as the parents, social services and the children’s guardian. However, sometimes additional people may be affected by the outcome of the case and
What is the new social media ban? The UK Government has recently confirmed that a social media ban for under-16s will be introduced in early 2027. Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has said “keeping children off social
Driving without due care and attention is a criminal offence, which is often referred to as careless driving. The offence is committed when a driver’s standard of driving falls below what is expected of a competent and
Changes to the law in relation to pensions and Inheritance Tax is due to come in to force in April 2026. This means that now is a good time to review the provisions of an existing Will
If my partner and I were to separate, would I have any financial rights? As the law currently stands, unlike married couples, unmarried couples living together do not automatically have rights over any property or assets in
Concerns around drug use and alcohol use are common in Care Proceedings and Child Protection work. Parents are often worried about what professionals may already know, how concerns will be investigated and whether past difficulties with drugs
The public figure Bonnie Blue has recently publicised her unverified plans surrounding her pregnancy, including how she claims she became pregnant and her plans for an unconventional baby shower. There has been considerable discussion online about her
Special guardianship is a family court order that allows a child or young person to live with someone other than their parents, providing a long-term care solution. The person(s) with whom the child lives with will become the child’s special
Funeral wishes in a Will are not legally binding. This is because often the funeral takes place before the Will is read. Whilst we recommend including your funeral wishes in your Will (i.e. cremation or burial), our
When a child who is jointly charged with an adult the first hearing will take place at the Magistrates court and not in the youth court. However, generally, childrens’ cases should be dealt with in the Youth
Yes, you must attend a Pre-Proceedings meeting if you have received a Pre-Proceedings letter. You should seek legal advice as soon as possible after receiving the letter, and a legal representative can attend the meeting with you.
Can I move my child within England and Wales without consent? If you have Parental Responsibility, you do not need permission from the Court or consent from the other parent to move a short distance away with
Life Interest and Right of Occupation Trusts are two common Trusts created by a Will, typically used by couples wanting to protect their respective share of their property. What is a Life Interest Trust? A Life Interest
There are 4 main stages to the divorce process: The application – made either solely or jointly with your spouse. The acknowledgement of service form completed by the Respondent (this does not apply if the application is
The Court process is lengthy, unpleasant and acrimonious, and can often result in parents facing large invoices for legal fees regarding sometimes relatively trivial matters. There are alternatives, but most people don’t consider these in relation to
If you are involved in Care Proceedings, you may hear professionals talking about ‘threshold’ being met. In simple terms threshold is the legal test that the Court must be satisfied about before it can make Care or
A Deed of Variation is a legal document that allows the beneficiaries of an estate to alter the deceased’s Will or intestacy rules. The purpose of this is to redistribute some or all of the deceased person’s
Blended families are becoming more common, and second marriages bring together couples with children from previous relationships. While many couples intend to ensure that everyone in the family is provided for, without the correct estate planning it
If you are engaged to be married, the last thing on your mind is likely to be the division of your finances should you end up divorcing the person that you are shortly to marry. However, it
On 26th February 2025, the then President of the Family Law Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, brought in new guidance for Family Law Judges regarding them writing to children. A tool kit ‘Writing to children – a toolkit
A Letter of Wishes is a confidential and non-binding document that should be read in conjunction with your Will. The aim of a Letter of Wishes is not to replace your Will, but to guide your Executors
Under Section 3 of the Children Act 1989, Parental Responsibility is defined as the rights, duties, powers and responsibilities that a parent has concerning a child. By having Parental Responsibility for a child, a person is able
Each March, International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to reflect on progress made towards gender equality while recognising the challenges that remain. In the legal profession, one continuing concern is the number of talented women leaving their
The introduction of the Sentencing Act 2026 makes a change to defendants being sentenced in criminal proceedings. The main changes For prison sentences of 12 months or less, there is a presumption that these will be suspended,
New guidance has recently been released by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in relation to “honour”-based abuse. This guidance has been updated to reflect growing concerns around evolving forms of abuse. The aim of this is to better
When Care Proceedings are initiated to protect the welfare of a child, an important and key figure in this process is the Children’s Guardian. A Children’s Guardian, previously known as a Guardian ad litem, is an independent
A Will is a document that allows you to decide what happens to your estate when you die. It usually appoints someone you trust to be able to manage your estate and affairs on your death. It
When couples separate, the legal differences can be significant depending on whether they are married or unmarried. Married Couples Married couples benefit from specific legal protections and entitlements under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. This legislation allows
If you are appointed to act as a Personal Representative (PR), you have a legal duty to settle all liabilities of the deceased’s estate. However, when a loved one dies, it can be difficult to know the
Many people pay into pensions their whole lives without really thinking about it. It can therefore come as a surprise when divorcing that pensions are treated as a matrimonial asset, in the same way as other assets
Sibling relationships are often the longest relationship we will experience in our lives. During Care Proceedings, the Local Authority recognise the importance of sibling relationships and therefore aim to keep siblings together where possible, when making decisions.
Parents involved in Care Proceedings will almost always be told about the “26-week” timetable”. The law is clear that Care Proceedings should usually be concluded within 26 weeks, or around six months, from the date the application
If you are facing a divorce, you will undoubtedly have scores of questions about the process and likely outcomes. One question that our specialist family law solicitors are asked time and again is, ‘How are assets divided
Pensions are often one of the most valuable assets in a relationship, and how they are split on divorce in the UK can have a profound impact on each person’s future financial security. If you need answers
High-net-worth divorces often involve a number of issues not seen in standard divorce cases. The financial stakes are higher, the assets are more complex, and the potential for dispute is greater. That is why seeking specialist advice
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,
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
Every life lost following domestic abuse leaves behind a family heartbroken. For too long these deaths have been treated as ‘unavoidable tragedies’, but they are not.’ – Julie Devey, Chair of Killed Women (organisation and network for
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
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
Re B-S was a Care Proceedings case that took place in 2013 and has shaped how Local Authorities are expected to evidence analysis when showing their final care plans. Whilst there has always been a duty on
There are many difficult decisions that need to be made when a divorcing couple are separating their finances from each other. For those parents who choose to send their children to private or public schools, there is
How long are the Probate Registry taking to issue a Grant of Representation? HMCTS have recently confirmed that Probate Registry wait times, for straight forward applications, for a Grant of Representation have more than halved. The average
What is Stalking? Under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, stalking is recognised as a pattern of repeated, unwanted behaviour that causes distress or fear in the victim. Examples of stalking behaviour are; following a person contacting, or
Deputyship applications can be made to the Court of Protection for an order appointing you as Deputy to manage the property and financial affairs of your friend / relative. Becoming a Deputy for your friend / relative means
Why do I need to update my Will? It is important to make sure that your Will reflects what you would want to happen to your estate if you were to die now. This way, it gives
