Latest News

Increase in Probate Application Fee

On 13 July 2026, the fee charged when applying for probate increased significantly, from £300 to £526. The fee applies where the value of the estate is more than £5,000. There is no fee for estates of £5,000 or less. If probate has...

Sister Did Not Sign Property Transfer Form, FTT Rules

Under Paragraph 5(a) of Schedule 4 to the Land Registration Act 2002 , the Land Register may be altered for the purpose of correcting a mistake. Recently, the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) granted an application for alteration of the Register by a woman who...

Order for Sale of Family Home Cannot be Granted After Wife's Death

The Family Court has concluded that it had no jurisdiction to hear a man's application for an order for sale of the former matrimonial home following his ex-wife's death, finding that personal rights and obligations arising under the Matrimonial Causes Act...

Woman Wins Defamation Settlement Against Overseas Newspaper

Seeking redress for defamatory statements can often be complex, but it is certainly not impossible. Recently, a woman succeeded in obtaining damages from a journalist who had misrepresented what she had said in an interview with him, as well as from an...

Cousin's Daughters Both Entitled to Benefit Under Ambiguous Will

Imprecise drafting in a will is a recipe for litigation and dispute later on. A recent High Court decision on the interpretation of an ambiguous clause in a man's will illustrates the kinds of issues that can arise. The man had made a will in 2007 leaving...

Reliance on Agent Not Good Reason for Delay in Making Appeal

Failures by a taxpayer's agent are generally treated as failures by the taxpayer for the purposes of whether there is a good reason for failing to bring an appeal in time. A recent case in which a taxpayer was refused permission to appeal more than three...

Void Marriage Means Declaration of Marital Status Cannot Be Made

Under Section 58(5) of the Family Law Act 1986 , the courts cannot make a declaration that a marriage was void at its inception. That recently proved fatal to an application for a declaration as to marital status by a husband who had undergone a marriage...

Homeowners' Boundary Determination Application Rejected

When applying for a boundary determination, it is crucial to gather as much evidence as you can in support of your application. Recently, a couple's application for a determination of part of the boundary between their home and neighbouring land was...

Palliative Care in Elderly Woman's Best Interests, Court Rules

When deciding what is in the best interests of a patient who lacks capacity, the courts will take into account any wishes and feelings the patient has previously expressed but will consider them in the context of all the evidence. Recently, the Court of...

Court Orders Provision for Daughter Excluded from Father's Will

The law affords people a high degree of testamentary freedom, and those seeking reasonable financial provision from an estate must satisfy the courts that it was unreasonable that adequate provision was not made for them. Recently, the High Court ruled that...
  • Page 2 of 10