People are often concerned about the cost of a divorce, and can be attracted by claims in search engine results for ‘cheap online divorces’. We’ve even seen companies claiming they can do an online divorce for £37. These adverts are misleading because, firstly, everyone must pay the £550 divorce fee, whether they do it online […]
Can you deny child access until a DNA test is completed?
It is becoming increasingly common for fathers to have to take a DNA test to prove they are (or are not) the biological father. This often happens during maintenance disputes, but what happens whilst this is getting resolved. Can you deny child access until a DNA test is completed? Parental Responsibility In England and Wales, […]
What is Parental Responsibility?
When a relationship involving children breaks down, most parents will immediately think about how this will affect their children; where will they live, who will be the main carer and how will they maintain contact with both parents. How this is decided depends largely on who has Parental Responsibility. What is Parental Responsibility? In England […]
The police have asked me for my phone PIN, do I have to give it to them?
The chances are that you are reading this article (unless out of pure curiosity) because: You have already been interviewed by the police and you have been asked to hand over your PIN number so that they can access the content of your phone, or You have been invited in for an interview and you are worried […]
What are grandparent’s rights?
Under current UK legislation, grandparents do not have any rights regarding their grandchildren. This means grandparents can be denied access to their grandchildren following a divorce. MPs have called upon the government to protect the rights of grandparents to see their grandchildren following a divorce. However, it may be some time before we see grandparent’s […]
Under investigation for, or charged with, Common Assault?
Are you being investigated for, or have you been charged with, common assault? The two types of Common Assault Common assault is the lowest form of assault there is in law. It can be committed in one of two ways. Firstly, by making any degree of physical contact with another against their will – usually known as […]
Possession of a Bladed Article or Offensive Weapon
What is the law? Possession of a bladed article A bladed article is usually a knife of some description. It is an offence to be found in possession of a bladed article in public even if there is no intention to use it. The law prohibits the possession of any article that has a blade […]
Grounds for divorce: What is unreasonable behaviour?
There is no such thing as a ‘no fault’ divorce in England and Wales. As stated in our previous blog ‘What is the divorce process’, if you have decided to get divorced you will need to demonstrate your relationship has irretrievably broken down. The most common reason used is that your spouse has behaved in […]
Blue badges: Who can use them, when and the consequences for breaching the rules.
A Blue Badge is available to those who suffer from certain disabilities which affect their mobility. It allows the individual to park in specified places which are closer to their destination. However, there has been a sharp increase in the number of people being arrested for blue badge misuse. Eligibility for a Blue Badge You […]
11 January 2018: a date for your immigration diary
In the first week of December 2017 the Home Office presented a new Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules (HC309) to Parliament. Most of these changes will come into force next week on 11 January 2018. Below I have set out the most notable of these changes, briefly explaining their effect on certain routes for entry […]
