Disputes between neighbours frequently inflict enormous emotional and financial harm on all involved. A High Court dispute concerning use of a shared driveway showed why any lawyer would advise sensible negotiation as a far better alternative to litigation. A couple’s right of way over the driveway, by which they accessed their rural home, was restricted […]
When the recording artist Prince died without a Will in 2016, aged 57, controversy soon began surrounding the administration of his estate. Fast-forward almost five years and the storm is still raging as the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) has determined that the estate administrators’ original valuation of the estate was woefully low. In fact, the […]
Even apparently obvious or trifling clerical errors in a will or codicil may provide fertile ground for dispute and that is why it is so important to have such documents drafted by a professional. In a High Court case on point, a straightforward mathematical blunder came close to defeating a deceased scientist’s wishes. By his […]
Working out the financial consequences of divorce takes time and that is why judges have the power to make interim maintenance awards to bridge the gap. In an important ruling, the Court of Appeal gave guidance on how that power should be exercised to provide for reasonable financial support and relieve hardship. The case concerned […]
The much-criticised practice of some landlords and their agents of excluding those in receipt of state benefits from obtaining private rented accommodation has been effectively outlawed by a judge’s ruling on the basis that it amounts to indirect disability discrimination. The case concerned an energetic and determined young man who wished to provide for his […]
Cross-border child abduction is an all too frequent result of broken relationships but it is also unspeakably cruel and English judges take their international treaty obligations to stamp it out very seriously. The High Court powerfully made that point in ordering the return of two young children to their homeland in Italy. Although their parents […]
If you feel that your neighbours’ building plans will impact on your views or otherwise harm your enjoyment of your home, you should not hesitate to consult a solicitor. In one case, a couple who did just that succeeded in blocking construction of a strikingly modern house on land adjoining their garden. The couple’s neighbours […]
If an elderly man had listened to his solicitor’s repeated advice to make a will, his children would have avoided a sea of trouble after his death. His failure to do so resulted in a bitter High Court dispute and a judge’s finding that one of his daughters resorted to forgery in a bid to […]
Many rural homes obtain their supplies of fresh water from sources which lie beyond their boundaries and such arrangements can sadly prove fertile ground for dispute. A case in which a farmer and his niece were at odds over water rights showed the wisdom of seeking early legal advice so that such disagreements can be […]
The trouble with appointing loved ones as executors of your will is that they are likely to be grief-stricken and there can be no guarantee that they will get on. A High Court decision showed that appointing a professional to perform the task is often the best way to save money and preserve harmony. The […]
