Those who doubt the legal advantages of getting married should take note of a case in which an elderly man was left facing homelessness after his partner’s unexpected death and had to go to court to seek reasonable provision from her estate. The unmarried couple
It has long been established that those who suffer injury or financial loss as a result of their own illegal acts are not entitled to compensation. The Court of Appeal upheld that principle in ruling that a mentally ill woman who killed her mother was
Disappointed parties to contract adjudications often cite alleged breaches of natural justice as a reason why awards should not be honoured. However, a High Court case concerning the design and installation of an airport baggage handling system showed just how hard it can be to
Local authorities that do not have a five-year supply of housing land in place take the risk that planning permission will be granted for developments they consider undesirable. However, as a High Court case showed, even in such situations consent will not be forthcoming for
Workplace disciplinary proceedings are never pleasant and it is understandable that employers may wish to deal with them as swiftly as possible. However, in one case, an engineering company paid heavily for its impatience in refusing to adjourn a hearing so that a worker could
Many entrepreneurs treat their companies as their babies, lending them their private money and, if necessary, writing off such debts when times are hard. In a case of interest to the business community, a tribunal has analysed the effect of such arrangements in Capital Gains
Boardroom conflict can often mean directors falling into opposing camps, with deadlock the result. However, as a High Court decision in the context of the fishing industry showed, taking legal advice is often the only means of achieving a resolution. The case concerned a holding
If you fail to remember your dependants in your will, it is highly likely that a judge will intervene after your death to ensure they are reasonably provided for. Exactly that happened in one case in which a woman who was bequeathed nothing by her
If you purchase a house that turns out to be worth less than you paid for it as a result of someone else’s wrongdoing, how should your compensation be calculated? The High Court addressed that issue in a guideline decision of interest to home buyers
Buying a home is the biggest investment that most people ever make and that is why instructing a lawyer to represent you really is essential. In a case that underlined the point, a couple who dispensed with professional advice came frighteningly close to being evicted
