On 3rd September 2020, the Law Commission launched a consultation on proposals to modernise and improve the law governing weddings. This consultation will run until 3rd December 2020. The current position Currently, the law on weddings dates back to the Marriage Act 1836 which regulates how couples can legally get married. Under this law it…
Jane Whitfield considers if a charity is allowed to provide financial support to its trading company if the company is struggling and, if so, whether a charity should go down that path. One of the effects of COVID19 has been the dramatic fall in income for almost every company in the country that relies on…
A common misconception is that most civil disputes end up with a trial where both sides get to “tell their story” and have their day in court. But the reality is very different as recent statistics published by the Ministry of Justice (“MoJ”) confirm. The Data According to the MoJ, in 2019 there were a…
The moratorium on possession proceedings, which was introduced by the Government in late March, has been lifted. However, for those proceedings that now take place, they will feel very different to those that took place in the pre-COVID era. The first major change is to the pre-action notice period, which for new cases is now…
The Government has recently announced that there will be an extension of the amount of notice which must be given to tenants prior to the issue of the vast majority of possession claims. Since the national lockdown was implemented in late March 2020, the notice period for virtually all new proceedings has been three months….
Digital assets have a very broad definition but essentially it means an electronic record in which an individual has a right or an interest. The digital asset should be treated separately from the device on which it sits, so for example you may leave your computer to your son, but the family photos stored on…
In court cases, bundles of documents are prepared in support of each party’s argument, and made available to the other side and to the court. Questions may sometimes arise as to the validity of the documents and paperwork submitted. Parties will generally produce digital documents, such as bank statements, to prove that what they are…
This article is the second in a two-part series exploring the roles and responsibilities of a personal representative (“PR”). There are 6 main duties which are being considered. This article will summarise duties 4-6. The first 3 can be found in Part 1 of the series. Duty 4: Duty to Provide Inventory and Account As…
With “Independence Day” on July 4th symbolising an end to Covid-19 lockdown, employees are still nervous about returning to work indoors. Can my employer force me to return to the office? Before coronavirus, the answer to this question would be yes. Most employment contracts require a person to be available for work at a specific…
For many separated or divorcing families, this summer period may be the first school holidays where everyone is living separately. Organising time with your family can become complicated and this can lead to tensions between parents and children alike, especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The fundamental advice is that, wherever possible, do…
