News & Events

News
Events

News: Family

Unmarried couples have no automatic right to each other's property

26/03/2013 In the absence of clear agreement about the proportions in which they share interests in family homes and businesses, unmarried couples in England and Wales who separate rarely have a legal claim to assets registered in each other's name.

Divorced Couple Share Assets and Debt

14/02/2013 A husband has been ordered to pay his ex-wife more than £4 million in a divorce settlement that treats the wife’s substantial debts as being shared between them. The settlement awards the wife the former matrimonial home, subject to the balance of the mortgage being paid from her cash settlement.

International Abduction – Children Now Protected

14/02/2013 November saw the introduction of a new child protection regime for children from the UK who live beyond the EU’s borders, following the adoption of the 1996 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, otherwise known as the ‘Hague Abduction Convention’. Previously, children of EU member states were only protected within the EU. Any child who moves to a country outside the EU that is a signatory to the Convention will now be covered by the requirement for that country to enforce any child protection order made by a UK court. Non-EU signatories to the Convention include Albania, Australia, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Morocco, Switzerland and Uruguay.

Lies to Family Court Lead to Prison

14/02/2013 When a Lancashire man misled the court about his finances in order to reduce the financial settlement he would have to make in favour of his ex-wife, he probably imagined that the result would be rather different from what actually happened

Bankruptcy Not Enough to Avoid Sums Due to Ex-Wife

14/02/2013 A man who was made bankrupt has failed in an attempt to persuade the court that, following his discharge from bankruptcy, he should be relieved of the duty to make payments due to his ex-wife. He had been ordered to pay her the sum of £450,000 following a 2003 court order

Will Writers 'Rip off thousands every year'

29/07/2011 guardian.co.uk, Monday 18 July 2011 Legal ombudsman calls on government to take action over unregulated companies offering consumer financial services. Which? says there is a lack of clarity over financial services including will writing. Thousands of people are being ripped off by unregulated claims management and will writing companies, the legal ombudsman has said in his first annual report.

Something to be Proud of

03/06/2011 Banner Jones recently supported the Derbyshire Times’ Pride of Chesterfield awards. The awards have been created to give local people who have shown outstanding dedication and achievement the chance to receive recognition from the people of Chesterfield. The award ceremony was held at the b2net stadium in Chesterfield and the categories included the Child of Courage, Rescuers and Lifesavers, Community Carer and Neighbour of the Year to name but a few. Simon Wright, Director, Banner Jones, says “As a local business we are always keen to acknowledge and support the efforts and achievements of the people of Chesterfield. We were very proud to have sponsored the ‘Child of Courage Award’, won by a young boy called Luke Whittaker, who has bravely endured leg cages and intensive physiotherapy to treat his Bilateral Talipes condition. This is the second year for these awards and it appears from the quality of the entrants that Chesterfield is a hot spot for brave and courageous people.”

Facebook Fuels Divorce

17/12/2010 Gone are the days of having to hire a private investigator to prove a cheating spouse, evidence of a partner’s infidelity could now be found literally at your fingertips. Modern technology such as the mobile phone and the internet is believed to be fuelling divorce in the UK. I have to say, it is not uncommon now for clients to come in and see me with copies of incriminating text messages, details of emails that they have discovered and even video evidence of an infidelity captured on a video phone.

A Divorce is for life... not just for Christmas

17/12/2010 If getting a divorce happens to be one of your New Year’s resolutions then you won’t be alone. It’s a sad fact that the number of separations and divorces increase after Christmas each year. Family solicitors up and down the UK are approached by unhappy and disgruntled partners and spouses who, having survived a miserable festive season are now looking for advice on how to start the New Year afresh.

Double Trouble

17/12/2010 Dealing with the division of assets following divorce or separation can be stressful enough but can you imagine the added pressures and difficulties that arise when one or both of the separating parties are involved in a family business?