Once the Court has considered all the various relevant factors to an applicant’s 1975 Act claim, the Court could conclude that they believe that the Will or Intestacy Rules does make “reasonable financial provision” for the applicant,...
Welcome to the Thornton Jones Family Law Blog
As a busy firm with a diverse portfolio of work we often encounter challenging and bizarre matters that ignite our curiosity. In this our first 'On The Case', Luke Newton, our Dispute Resolution expert, provides a small but significant insight...
If you have been excluded from a Will then in most cases, the wishes of the deceased would remain unchallenged as, in most cases, the person who made the Will would have received adequate and appropriate legal advice at the time of making their Will....
We feel it's important for you to know at least a little bit about the people you'll deal with here at Thornton Jones so today we interrogate Jess Taylor, one of our Conveyancing Solicitors with just ten questions. Question 1: How long have you...
Despite the principle of testamentary freedom which exists in England and Wales, under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (“1975 Act”), certain people connected to someone who dies (domicile in England or Wales) can...
In most cases, the wishes of the deceased would remain unchallenged as, in most cases, the person who made the Will would have received adequate and appropriate legal advice at the time of making their Will. However, let’s say that a former spouse,...
Mirror Wills aren’t right for everyone but if you are a couple, married or otherwise, and you are in agreement that upon your death your assets should be passed to the surviving partner then having Mirror...
In my role as a family law solicitor, I often find that clients are confused by pensions and are reluctant to deal with or consider either their own or their ex-partner’s pensions when separating or divorcing. Given that there are...
Gone are the days when landlords could simply walk into their property, pack up their tenant’s belongings, turf them onto the streets, and change the locks. Agree or disagree, the power is now very much in...
Being financially dependent on someone when they are alive, even if you are not named as a beneficiary in the deceased’s Will, can mean you could still be awarded something from the deceased’s estate. This has been made even more clear thanks to...
It’s not uncommon for a couple who live together to believe that since they are in a relationship, and cohabiting, that they have certain rights akin to those of a married couple. Do unmarried couples have the same rights as a married couple? What...
When obtaining and paying for legal documents, it can seem to many as an unnecessary expense, and with the advent of online ‘quick Wills’ and standard pre-printed packs that can be bought from high street stores like WHSmiths, many people...
The Covid-19 vaccine brings hope that we can soon emerge from this pandemic, however as we do I think most of us have learned valuable lessons about what is actually important in our lives. The loss of loved ones has been horrific but also for many the loss...
I recall one time I had afternoon tea with several members of my family and we had an interesting discussion about divorce and what getting divorced actually means for individuals going through the process. Throughout our discussions, I was reminded of...
What is a Prenuptial Agreement and Do I Need One? When you marry, you imagine it’s for life, but separation and divorce is a very common outcome with a third of marriages ending in divorce 1 and when separation and divorce happens there is...
Should I make a Will? Well some people believe that wills are only for people over a certain age, or only if you have assets to ‘hand down’ when you die, and whilst neither of these are true, it is also important that every parent must make a...
It's really important for us here at Thornton Jones to stay involved and when the subject is relevant to our business we take part in The Law Society's #SolicitorChat which is a weekly Twitter discussion. Recently, Jess...
Have Your Lives Taken You In Different Directions Like Kim and Kanye? No amount of riches can shield you from life and the challenges that it throws at you and during a global pandemic, as couples, we are forced to spend more time in close quarters...
Here at Thornton Jones we love to stay engaged and involved and when the subject is relevant to our business we take part in The Law Society's #SolicitorChat which is a weekly Twitter discussion Recently one of our Private...
We are a nation of pet lovers with 51% of UK adults owning a pet 1 , spending a staggering £6.9 million on our pets in 2019 2 . But whether that be on biscuits for your Bulldog or a Christmas onesie for your Cavapoo, our lavish spending on our pets is...
It’s here again, National Divorce Day, a day on which some divorce lawyers report a spike in the number of enquiries from people wishing to commence divorce proceedings. Although largely considered a myth by many, with 2020 being in most a...
What is Collaborative Law and why choosing a Collaborative Law Approach to Divorce Could be the Right Approach for You. Often when couples decide to separate and ultimately divorce there is the expectation that both parties will need to embark on a...
During these Covid times there has been much coverage on the increase in people making Wills, a reaction to the increased number of Covid related deaths which, at time of writing, is over 60,000 in the UK. Clearly this has proven to be somewhat of a wake-up...
Today is the fifth and final day of the Good Divorce Week and today we discuss parenting after parting. Jane Auty, one of our Family Solicitors here at Thornton Jones says; “Parenting after parting is vital in continuing the great work you’ve...
On this Day 4 of the Good Divorce Week we are discussing how you can help your children by helping yourself. Jane Auty, one of our Family Solicitors says; “It's easier said than done, but at a time when stress levels are peaking, emotions are...
Today is day 3 of Good Divorce Week and in this Blog Jane Auty, one of our Family Solicitors, discusses how to address anger and emotions. Good Divorce Week is a week long campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of a collaborative approach to separation...
Today is day 2 of Resolution’s Good Divorce Week, a week long campaign which aims to help separating and divorcing parents reduce the impact on their children and to maintain strong and meaningful relationship with their children after divorce. Today...
Today marks the start of Good Divorce Week, a week long campaign led by Resolution with the aim of ensuring that where parents are separating and divorcing that it is done in a way that has the least impact on their children. Throughout the week we’ll...
The next lockdown which starts on 5 th November and runs for four weeks has again raised challenges for solicitors. Uncertainty stemming from the Prime Minister’s briefing on the impact to the housing market has been addressed following a Tweet from...
With the current national lockdown coming to an end and as we re-enter the three tier system we continue to receive an increased number of enquiries from people who want to make or update their Wills. Unfortunately the lockdown and three tier restrictions...
On 8 th July our Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced a Stamp Duty Holiday which could save home buyers a staggering £15,000 in Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). It’s a bold move that is intended to boost the property market during...
Here at Thornton Jones we love to stay engaged and involved and when the topic is relevant to our business we love to take part in The Law Society's #SolicitorChat that they hold weekly on Twitter. This week our super Family Lawyer, Hannah Bowes...
If you choose to contest a Will it’s worth knowing what the process might look like for you and how, at a time of grief, resolving the matter through mediation might be a preferred option for everyone involved. One of the struggles that clients have...
When you make a Will it’s important to consider who you want your assets to go to when you die. Often this will be to just one single person, such as your spouse, however with ‘blended families’ being ever more common it’s wise to...
You might think that making a Will is all about what happens to your money when you die, and in the main this is right! You may have many different types of assets ranging from physical cash in savings, property, valuable personal possessions and...
We feared that the post Covid-19 property market would be slow. We expected some activity but nothing that would signify a full recovery. We hoped for a steady and gradual filtering through of new conveyancing matters as people found confidence to venture...
The last few months have demonstrated the importance of a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) for those who have been unable to leave their own homes or who have been concerned about dealing with their own affairs and have benefited from someone being able to...
Yesterday, I was ecstatic to learn that the new No Fault Divorce Bill has finished its journey through Parliament and even though the new legislation will not be accessible until autumn 2021, this marks a significant change in the law. ...
Many of my colleagues have recently shared their hearts, both publicly via these blog posts, and privately via messages in the firm’s group chat, about the state of play of current society, the uncertainty that pervades their thoughts, and moments of...
It seems that the current challenging times are bringing out all sorts of creativity from our team and many are putting pen to paper. So far we've had two emotional and heartfelt blogs from Clare and Stacey and now we have a more humorous scripture...
It’s really hard to write something when you are usually in the ‘background’ and doing what we do best in assisting the brilliant people we work for. I’m not one for putting myself in the public eye, I suffer (like a lot of people)...
I am generally a very optimistic and positive person. However this self-isolating is really, really difficult. I’ve had a tough week this week trying to keep myself motivated to work from my dressing table which is starting to feel like a prison camp!...
Four years ago today the music legend Prince passed away. With a career earning him seven Grammy Awards, seven Brit Awards and a Golden Globe Award to name just a few you’d expect him to have an Estate worth a bob or two. In fact it’s...
On the 23 rd March 2020, the government placed the UK into ‘lockdown’ and consequently we are only able to leave our homes if we have a ‘reasonable excuse’. Since its implementation, the lockdown has caused individuals to...
Earlier this week I published a blog giving my thoughts on how to deal with a situation where you are separated, self-isolating, and you share the care of your children with their other parent. Things seem to be moving very fast indeed and only a few...
In a few short weeks we have seen unprecedented change across all sectors of life here in the UK and across the world. Already, we can see how communities are pulling together to support one another, particularly those who may be vulnerable or isolated....
During these unprecedented times we find puzzles that typically we’d not expect to have to solve. Yet we are in the midst of a crisis that may mean the isolation of your children with their other parent and despite agreements and potentially Court...
We see many instances where separation and divorce involves children , and with such cases there needs to be a discussion about co-parenting. When you separate or divorce it’s easy to let your animosity towards each other become all too apparent to...
I am passionate about technology but only in so far as it makes our job easier so we can spend more time helping our clients with their legal issues. For example, in our conveyancing team we are using some cutting edge technology to help us meet our...
I for one can understand and relate to the significance and importance of a child’s relationship with their grandparents. However, in the legal world, whilst a Court would acknowledge the importance of their role in a child’s life, their rights...