Szabo & Associates News & Updates

Before applying for a divorce, it is a legally necessary requirement that a couple are separated for at least 12 months. However, separation does not necessarily mean that living under the same roof is impossible. Being ‘separated under one roof’, as it is referred to, is possible if certain criteria are met.

Both parents of a child are normally presumed to have equal shared responsibility for their welfare. This includes deciding whether their child should be vaccinated against Covid-19.

There are several issues that, if unattended to, may make a Will invalid. Sometimes this may be because of invalid execution due to a lack of compliance with the legal formalities. At other times, more disputable matters can be involved, such as a lack of mental capacity or the application of undue influence on the Will-maker (or testator). These types of claims can involve particularly complex evidential and legal arguments.

When a couple separates, a property settlement agreement decides how their net assets will be formally divided between them. If a winning lottery ticket was bought by one party during a relationship, it would be seen as joint property and dealt with in a property settlement. But what happens with a big lottery win after separation?

A Will is an important document. Without one, the reality is that intestacy rules will apply which state how your estate must be shared out on death. Nevertheless, it is also important to be clear which of your assets will not pass automatically through your Will so that, in tandem with the Will, you consider all your assets and those persons you wish to benefit.