Why bother with a pre-nup?
Prenuptial agreements do not bind the courts in England & Wales. This is because the courts have a wide discretion in deciding what the financial outcome of a couple’s divorce might be. So what is the point of a pre-nup? The case of Radmacher V Granatino in the Supreme Court stated that it was likely that a prenuptial agreement would be upheld if it were fair. It held that the
Why are we excited about in-house therapeutic services?
I remember many years ago hearing about a firm who were offering clients therapy alongside their divorce. It was a long time before Ruth, Irena and I decided to open Boardman, Hawkins & Osborne but it stayed with me. I remember admiring the logic of offering a client going through a traumatic experience some therapy, but also wondering whether we could expand upon it. I think it is clear to
Legal Aid for Family Law Matters
Getting Help to Pay for Legal Costs Irena Osborne Legal aid is the use of public funds to help to pay for legal advice, family mediation and court representation. The Legal Aid Agency is in charge of providing legal aid in England and Wales. When a client asks “will I get legal aid for my family case” they generally expect a “yes” or a “no” answer. The determination for
How to deal with a spouse who is not responding to a divorce petition
…on a gloomy April (or any other) day. I am writing this article on a rainy April day the mood of which is captured by Mathilde Blind In her poem April Rain: “The April rain, the April rain, Comes slanting down in fitful showers,” Mathilde Blind (1841 – 1896 / Germany) On this dreary day I am thoughtful of the few cases I have been working on lately where
How do you own your Home?
If you purchase your property with your partner there are two ways you can own the property. It is important that you know and understand the differences, as the type of ownership affects what you can do with the property if your relationship with the joint owner breaks down or if one owner dies. Joint Tenants If you own as Joint Tenants you share equal ownership of the property and
Great Legal Bake Off
Boardman Hawkins & Osborne are delighted to be taking part in this year’s Great Legal Bake Off, organised by the Access to Justice Foundation. We are able to nominate our fundraising to go to local advice charities, so anything we raise today is going to two legal advice charities on our doorstep: Abingdon Citizens Advice and http://www.flagdv.org.uk/Flag DV. Abingdon Citizens Advice is open 5 days a week, and also operates