Guardianship of Children Under -16
Did you know that the law in Scotland provides that you cannot entirely disinherit your spouse, civil It is not commonly known that in Scotland a clause can be inserted into a Will appointing a guardian to children who may be under 16 at the time of the parent’s death. Here are the important points […]
What Do Closing Dates Mean?
Following the first lockdown the property market in Scotland has exploded. There is such high demand for properties it’s no wonder the most recent statistics* are showing an average annual increase in value of over 11% for residential properties in Scotland. Currently the average price of a property in Scotland is £182,755, said to be […]
What is a Caveat and Do I Need One?
A Caveat is a document that a private individual or company can lodge at any Sheriff Court in Scotland and at the Court of Session to provide you with the advantage of a pre-warning that certain types of court orders are being sought against you. The Caveat will have the effect of preventing an interim […]
China’s Personal Information Protection Law: All You Need to Know
On 20 August 2021, China passed the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL). The new PIPL came into force on 01 November 2021 and has been described as one of the strictest data privacy laws in the world. While there are various requirements under the new PIPL, many articles are modelled on similar concepts as the […]
The Voice of a Child
An announcement was made on 1 October 2021 that child witnesses in criminal court cases would be able to give evidence in pre-recorded interviews, under a new scheme announced by the Scottish Government. In criminal cases the intention is that Police Officers and Social Workers will be able at an early stage to interview children […]
Child Welfare Reporters- Learn More
The Sheriff Court Rules state that at any stage of a family action, the Sheriff may appoint a Child Welfare Reporter to (a) seek the views of the child and report any views expressed by the child to the court; or (b) undertake enquiries and report to the court. If you are involved in a […]
Living Together? What are Your Rights in Scotland?
More than three million couples in the UK live together. For any number of reasons, many do not intend to marry. However, this means if they split up, their rights are limited. If you are considering moving in with your partner, or are already living with a partner but are unmarried, here are some essential […]
The Benefits of Pre-nuptial Agreements
Pre-nuptial agreements (or more commonly referred to as a ‘pre-nups’) have become more popular over the years. They are no longer considered to be documents used by only the wealthy or by celebrity couples. More people now are looking to regulate their financial affairs before entering into marriage. A pre-nuptial agreement is signed before marriage […]
Government Consultation on Flexible Working
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will shortly be publishing its consultation on extending the right to request flexible working to all employees, removing the current requirement for 26 weeks’ service before doing so. This proposal was part of the Conservative party’s 2019 manifesto but the introduction of the “day one” right […]
Domestic Abuse – Civil Court Remedies
The Herald reported earlier this month that domestic abuse charges reported by the police to Scottish prosecutors, which include attempted rape and serious assault, have hit a five year high. Lockdown was described by Scotland’s Law Officer, Advocate Depute Dorothy Bain QC as having a “devastating impact” for domestic abuse victims. When there is a […]
