News & Legal Updates

In this short series, we want to highlight the changes made by the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 and the likely effects. This blog will focus on the views of the child. The 2020 Act gives children and young people more opportunity to give their views in any s.11 action brought before a court. An s.11 … Continue reading "Changes made by the Children (Scotland) Act 2020: Part 1 – The Views of the Child"

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, everyone has had to adapt and so it is not surprising that guardianship application practices have also had to evolve to take account of the widespread restrictions. During the first national lockdown, our Courts closed and guardianship applications ground to a sudden halt. To ensure vulnerable adults wouldn’t be left … Continue reading "Updated Guardianship Practices During COVID-19: The Way Forward?"

Heritable property is, more often than not, the biggest asset in an estate. When dealing with the administration of an estate, we are required to check the deceased’s title deeds to determine how title to their property is held.  If someone owns heritable property on their own, the matter is straightforward and the property falls … Continue reading "Joint title to heritable property – implications for estate administration"

The Practical Implications of “DIY Wills” from an Executry Perspective What is a “DIY Will”? A “DIY Will” may be something as simple as a handwritten note, or perhaps you have thought about buying an “off the shelf” pre-prepared DIY Will kit which provides a Will template of sorts. What creates a valid Will in … Continue reading "The Practical Implications of “DIY Wills” from an Executry Perspective"

The Office of National Statistics figures suggests approximately 60% of the UK population lived within a couple in 2019. Although the majority of these couples were married or in civil partnerships, around one in five were cohabiting and this figure is increasing each year.  It is therefore not surprising that many of our estate administration … Continue reading "Cohabitants: Claim on Estate"

2021 brings a new year of opportunity and a chance to reflect back on what a challenging year we have all faced in 2020. The uncertainty, the current impact on our health and care services as well as the impact on families across the world will be long remembered and felt going into the future. … Continue reading "Protecting Your Future in 2021: Wills and Powers of Attorney – Part 3"

2021 brings a new year of opportunity and a chance to reflect back on what a challenging year we have all faced in 2020. The uncertainty, the current impact on our health and care services as well as the impact on families across the world will be long remembered and felt going into the future. … Continue reading "Protecting Your Future in 2021: Wills and Powers of Attorney – Part 2"

2021 brings a new year of opportunity and a chance to reflect back on what a challenging year we have all faced in 2020. The uncertainty, the current impact on our health and care services as well as the impact on families across the world will be long remembered and felt going into the future. … Continue reading "Protecting Your Future in 2021: Wills and Powers of Attorney – Part 1"

Thinking about yourself, or a loved one, going into either residential or nursing care can be daunting and stressful. To add to that stress, the move into care can be an expensive one. It can cost over £1,000 a week, depending on where you live in the United Kingdom. While some people may be able … Continue reading "Care Home Costs: What Do I Need to Pay and Is There a Way to Protect My Assets?"

Following the introduction of local protection areas across Scotland (Tiers 0-4), The Lord President, Scotland’s most senior judge, issued further guidance for parents and carers who share the care of their child(ren) and where residence, contact or another issue relating to a parental right or responsibility is regulated by court order. In general terms, the … Continue reading "Can I Travel for Contact? Updated Guidance issued for Family Court Orders"