Read our latest articles, news briefs and legal updates across all our different services.
Figures released by the Halifax suggest that house prices are rising at the fastest annual rate for three years. The Halifax survey found that prices in the three months to the end of June were 2.1% higher than in the previous quarter and 3.7% higher than in the same period last year. Halifax spokesman Martin
A husband has lost his appeal to have his payments to his former wife reduced even though the couple’s assets had not been divided equally as part of the divorce settlement. The case involved a couple in their 30s who had been married for 10 years and had a daughter aged three. The wife earned
Two brothers have won a legal battle to receive their full inheritance from their mother’s will. The case involved a family dispute between the brothers and their sister. Their mother had made a will leaving substantial sums to all her three children. However, before she died she transferred a large amount of her money to
The Court of Appeal has overturned a judge’s ruling which allowed a father increased contact with his daughter. The judge granted the father extra unsupervised contact, despite also insisting that he undergo a psychological assessment to determine that the child would be safe in his care. A report produced by CAFCASS, the agency that protects
A woman has been awarded £15,250 compensation after hot tea was spilt on her in a restaurant. The 21-year-old Chinese university student had visited the restaurant with some of her classmates. A waiter was carrying a tray of hot tea when he was knocked by another member of staff. Some of the tea spilt on
The Supreme Court has delivered a landmark ruling that divorcing husbands cannot protect their assets by signing them over to companies – a practice described as a “cheat’s charter” by some lawyers. The case involved the high profile couple, Michael and Yasmin Prest. Last year the High Court ordered that Mrs Prest should receive £17.5m
The Law Society says the Government decision not to regulate will writing puts the public at risk of being exploited by unqualified and unscrupulous practitioners. Many legal services are strictly regulated but will writing is not. The Law Society and the Legal Services Board have long campaigned for stricter controls to protect the public but
Four thousand people reserved a home through the Help to Buy scheme in the two months since it came into effect in April. The Home Builders Federation is delighted with the response and says the industry will have to significantly increase the output of new homes. The Help to Buy: equity loan scheme applies to
The Court of Protection is often called upon to decide whether a person suffering from a debilitating medical condition has the mental capacity to make important decisions. A recent case involved a 37-year-old woman who suffered from bipolar disorder. The woman was a high-achieving information technologist but her condition led to her compulsory detention at
A teaching assistant who was sacked because she wanted to remain in contact with her sex offender son has been awarded £28,000 in compensation for unfair dismissal. Tracy Hodgkinson’s son was jailed in May 2010 for sexual offences with a girl under 14. He was 18 at the time. Ms Hodgkinson says she was dismissed