Bank references given in response to credit checks can only be relied upon by those who request them, not by undisclosed third parties. The Supreme Court so ruled in a test case concerning bouncing cheques signed by a punter at a London gaming club. The
The long-standing ban on compensation being paid to victims of violent crime who were preyed on by members of their own family prior to 1 October 1979 has been ruled incompatible with fundamental human rights by the Court of Appeal. The case concerned a woman
Every sensible business owner is aware that today’s trusted employee may become tomorrow’s competitor. However, as a High Court ruling showed, with the right legal advice and professionally drafted employment contracts, powerful steps can be taken to discourage disloyalty. The case concerned a company that
Local authorities are entitled to establish criteria by which priorities in respect of housing waiting lists are set. However, as an important High Court ruling made clear, any such criteria that have a potentially discriminatory impact must be proportionate and rigorously justified. The case concerned
Seventy per cent of cases that come before the Commercial Court in London have at least one overseas party and difficulties can arise when crucial witnesses who live abroad do not attend to give evidence. Exactly that happened in a shipping case in which a
The prospects of so-called ‘no fault’ divorce making its way onto the statute books have been much improved after the Supreme Court expressed unease about an extremely rare case in which a woman failed in a bid to divorce her husband on grounds that their
The breakdown of a marriage is an intensely difficult moment, but a Court of Appeal ruling in a big money divorce case clearly illustrated that timing can be crucial and that it is always wise to seek legal advice sooner, rather than later. The case
Devolution means that planning policies on either side of the English/Welsh border are significantly different and divergence between them is increasing over time. The Court of Appeal made that point in scotching plans for a roadside service area just outside a Welsh town. The site,
When money passes between family members without legal advice, it is only too common for disputes to arise as to whether the sums concerned were meant as gifts, or something more. Exactly that happened in one case, in which a mother and son ended up
When a corporate insolvency is on the cards, directors can be tempted to remove as much money as possible from the kitty before the ship sinks. However, a High Court ruling has strikingly shown how unwise it is to take such a course, and that
