Families fall out all the time. And in so many ways the position the Markle family finds itself in is just like family disputes that develop day-in, day-out across the land.  Separating families in far more humble circumstances than the Markles face the same dilemmas.  Take the case of a hard-pressed family in urban Britain facing a bitter divorce. Both the adults at the centre know they need to find solutions about where they’ll both will live, how the money and debt will be shared, and what arrangements will be made for the kids. They’ll no doubt both have fixed […]

IF Prince Harry and Meghan Markle decide to have kids, you might be interested to learn that they won’t actually have full custody of them. According to a royal expert, the Royal Family have an unusual agreement with the Queen, 92, that she actually has full legal custody over all minor royals. AFP or licensors Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not have full custody of their kids should they have them This means that Prince William and Kate Middleton also don’t have full custody over their kids, Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and three-month-old Prince Louis. Royal expert […]

A decision has been made. It’s the word all married couples dread — divorce. For women, few issues are more critical to surviving divorce than establishing financial security. The majority of female newlyweds believe divorce will never happen to them, but when it does, many are unprepared for the financial fallout and hard-hitting lifestyle adjustments to home, child care, vehicle, retirement funds, even spending money. But by making smart and prudent financial decisions now, women can prevent some of the financial sting of divorce — a pain that permeates lives long after emotions and families begin to heal. Unfortunately, 41 […]

Despite technology moving ahead of legislation, ordinary estate rules apply. Remarkably, since the introduction of cryptocurrency in 2009, the South African Revenue Service only as recently as April 2018 released a statement in which it noted its interpretation of cryptocurrency as an “asset of intangible nature” which is to be treated as gross income or alternatively as capital for income tax purposes. As a consequence of its novelty, many common legal aspects surrounding crypto assets are unclear in comparison with assets of a similar nature such as bonds and shares. “The main concern at present is that as crypto is […]

As the chair of the commission referred to in your editorial on the appalling effects of legal aid cuts (Cuts have tipped the scales of justice. Ministers must rebalance them, 13 August), I welcome your succinct summary of the problems facing those with legal problems who are no longer able to obtain legal advice or representation when it is needed. Early legal advice is incredibly important. It means that people can deal with a problem before it becomes a crisis. Early advice may well save court time if people with unmeritorious cases are told that. One of the functions of family legal […]

The Government has agreed to improve the enforcement of financial orders, in response to a Law Commission report. Courts can make these orders, which mean that one spouse or civil partner must pay money or transfer property to the other after a relationship breaks down. But in 2016 a report by the Law Commission found that the law in this area was too complicated, sometimes ineffective, and that orders fairly awarded by the courts were not always complied with as a result. Failure to recover money awarded can lead to significant hardship both for former spouses and their children. Now […]

Opinion Verity Jackson-Grant 15 Aug 2018 04:49pm For several years litigation funding has been a hot topic for discussion. There have been many “big news” stories about funders posting record profits and much has been written about the flow of new money into the market This has caused some law firms to consider seeking a piece of the action through launching a fund of their own. However, comparatively little is said about the diverse and innovative products that are being developed to make use of the additional capital now available […]

Many people write to me about the topic of rebuilding trust after divorce. One thing that I’m sure to tell them is that it is a process and takes time. This is one thing that I knew instinctively but forgot at times after my divorce over two decades ago. Why is trust such a key issue for divorced people? Experiencing the breakup of your marriage can intensify trust issues. Because of your past experience, you might approach relationships warily and come to expect the worst. It may seem at times as if you’re wired to recreate the past. However, with […]

Brad Pitt thinks it’s “disgusting” that Angelina Jolie has gone public with their divorce. FILE: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. Picture: AFP LOS ANGELES – Brad Pitt is said to be furious that his estranged wife Angelina Jolie has started going public with their divorce because it’s “terrible” for their children. The estranged couple had been working out the legalities of their split behind closed doors with a private judge, but, after the 43-year-old actress ditched her celebrity divorce attorney Laura Wasser and hired a new legal team, the details of their court battle have been made […]