Latest Legal News

Articles

Update: tax and trusts

David Bird reviews the latest developments in tax and estate planning, including negligible value claims for CGT, inheritance taxand agricultural property relief

Update: professional negligence

Victoria Brackett and Katie Papworth consider recent decisions on expert witness immunity, summary judgment in professional indemnity cases, termination of a retainer and the latest on limitation

Getting politicians' hands dirty

By the time you turn to the back page ofSJ you may already have had several days under the new government of the BWP (Bigoted Woman Party) or the NMDA (Norfolk Mallard Duck Alliance) both of which had been able to keep so well under the radar of the opinion polls that nobody knew they existed until it was too late.

Future shock

Elected judges, robots for paralegals, and download-it-yourself claims forms: Russell Conway considers the brave new world of the law as it could be in 2025

Courts cannot use secret procedures to hear ordinary civil claims

Courts cannot order “closed material procedures” when hearing ordinary civil claims, such as for damages or breach of statutory duty, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Mother of all battles

Two recent decisions show that the courts are increasingly prepared to transfer residence to the father where mothers repeatedly block contact arrangements. Miranda Fisher and Ayla Dogruyol report

Logging out

The increasing popularity of online networking sites raises important issues about what happens to an individual's digital legacy after their death, says Nicola Plant

Pretty vacant

With so many commercial properties lying empty because of the economic downturn, landlords should take advantage of the new, less formal 'meanwhile' leases, which are designed for short-term lettings, says Michael Fahy