Firm News

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every corner of daily life and has changed our way of living beyond recognition. The impact of the virus has meant that it will continue to cause disruption to society for considerable time. UNICEF states that more than...

Is it an offence to drive after I have smoked cannabis? It is an offence under S5A, of the Road Traffic Act 1988, if you drive, attempt to drive or be in charge of a motor vehicle with a specified controlled drug in your blood or urine in excess of...

The pandemic has shifted the way in which we all think about technology. We are all relying on technology more and the importance of having effective systems in place has increased to allow us to continue to communicate with colleagues, clients and other...

The law relating to Landlords and Tenants is complex, and a landlord will need to demonstrate compliance if they want to recover possession of a property that they let out under an Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST). Documentation/information Some of the...

You will see from recent news the answer is yes! The National Crime Agency have today announced that they have successfully penetrated a top secret communications system commonly used for illegal activity.  How will the police know to find me from my...

The creation of a Will ensures that following your death your wishes regarding your personal possessions, such as jewellery and family mementos are passed on to those you wish to receive them. As well as this, creation of a Will allows for your assets, such...

A Court of Appeal judgment handed down this week spells good news for landlords who failed to supply a copy of a valid gas safety certificate to their tenant before they moved in. If a landlord wants to recover possession of their property where a tenant is...

Legal rights are conferred upon a person when they marry or enter into a civil partnership . These rights include: to inherit automatically if their spouse/civil partner dies intestate (without a will) to a degree of financial support if the...

Johnson Astills join many people and organisations across the globe. We stand in solidarity with our Black and Ethnic Minority clients and colleagues and stand by our commitment to challenge discrimination and racism wherever we find it. We know that many...

I was sleeping in my car after drinking. Have I committed an offence? Many people are unaware that simply being in charge of a vehicle whilst over the legal alcohol limit is an offence. You may be guilty of an offence under Section 5(1) (b) of the Road...

Are speeding drivers flouting the law during lockdown? With less people travelling to work following government advice to stay alert and stay at home where you can, it would be reasonable to expect a significant fall in the number of driving offences...

May is mental health awareness month with Mental Health Awareness week being 18 th -24 th May 2020. This year the focus of the week was to Be Kind. In 2020 a lot has happened and being kind has been the focus throughout most of this. The campaigns...

Due to the need for social distancing no attended hearings at Court are taking place save for the most urgent of cases and where it is impossible for the case to be conducted remotely i.e. by telephone. At Johnson Astills we have had no attended hearings...

What can you do if you are a victim of domestic abuse during lockdown? Boots and other supermarkets are offering safe spaces to victims, where you can access the 24 hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline and the Men’s Advice line without causing...

Are the criminal courts still dealing with cases during lock-down? The criminal courts are continuing to deal with cases throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Both the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts in Leicester are operating but they are dealing with...

In a word, YES! It is important that you also know your rights remain the same…. What are my rights if the police want to interview me? If your are interviewed by the Police either under arrest or voluntarily then you have the right to free,...

The demand for Wills over the past few months in light of Covid-19 has seen a 75% increase in those creating or updating Wills . It is more important than ever to ensure the ability to create a valid Will which will be in line with your wishes and provides...

Johnson Astills are delighted to announce that senior Dispute Resolution solicitor Laura Anderson has joined the firm. Laura's appointment means that our clients can now access advice across an even broader range of legal matters. Laura says: ...

Clients old and new have been in touch in the last couple of weeks to seek guidance and reassurance of their position by law in relation to their living and contact arrangements for their children when separated from the other parent. Whilst each case turns...

Covid-19 can potentially impact conveyancing transactions in the following ways: Purchasers request for properties to be decontaminated; Sellers refuse to vacate on completion due to self-isolation; Banking system disruption; Booking removal...

The current “lock down” and social distancing requirements imposed by the Government on 23 rd March 2020 only allow people to leave their homes for a number of reasons including shopping for basic necessities, one form of exercise a day, medical...

It has recently been announced that anyone using coronavirus to threaten emergency and essential workers faces serious criminal charges. This intervention comes after reports in recent days of police and other key workers being deliberately coughed at by...

Following Government advice, Johnson Astills have temporarily closed both offices in Leicester and Loughborough, however we are still fully operational and our phone lines remain open. We want to thank each and every keyworker for the hard work that is...

The Care Team at Johnson Astills has had to make a few changes this week. On Tuesday 24th March 2020, our Leicester and Loughborough offices closed temporarily following Government guidance relating to the Coronavirus (Covid-19). However, we would like...

During this time of uncertainty, many questions are being raised about all aspects of our day to day life. Following the announcement of the Prime Minister on Monday 23 rd March 2020, the country is effectively in “lock down” and we are only...

Purchasing a new build property is purchasing your new house before it is even built or whilst it is being built. The Conveyancing transaction is slightly different to a normal residential purchase of a home when the property is not yet fully constructed. ...

It is an offence to fail to stop at the scene of an accident, this offence carries a maximum penalty of 6 months imprisonment. The law requires you to stop at the scene of a motoring accident and exchange your correct personal details. If details are not...

If the Local Authority has become involved with your family because your child is considered to be ‘out of parental control’, they may be exhibiting risky behaviour that is putting them or is likely to put them at risk of significant harm. This...

Purchasing a property is one of the most important financial decision you will ever make. The process can also be time consuming and you would be required to make numerous important decisions. Here are some of our top tips when considering purchasing a...

The Local Authority have concerns about domestic abuse around my children - what should I do?   The Local Authority may be alerted to concerns about domestic violence by concerned family members, members of the public or professionals. If there are...

It has recently been reported in the Guardian, that Islamic faith marriages are not valid under English law.   The judgement which was delivered on Friday, overturned a previous High Court ruling that an Islamic marriage known as a Nikah fell within...

When someone you love or care about dies it is a very emotional time. Whilst you are still grieving you have to also think about dealing with the administration of their estate.  If the deceased person left a Will then those named as Executors will be...

Where you are a victim in a prosecution, if you make the decision you no longer wish to pursue the case, the Prosecution can apply for a witness summons. A witness is not obliged to attend court unless a witness summons has been served.  So what is a...

Selling your house can be a complicated process along with it being stressful trying to plan the whole move. Our Johnson Astills conveyancing specialists are here to make the transaction as smooth as possible. Below are a few steps that will hopefully make...

Knife crime and crimes involving offensive weapons are on the rise with the highest number of convictions in a decade! How many convictions for knife offences were recorded in 2019? There were 14,135 offences of knife possession in 2019 – this...

New Police Powers in relation to Stalking coming into place – TODAY! The Stalking Protection Order (SPO) that can result in five years in prison Stalking was made a specific criminal offence in England and Wales in 2012. Starting from today the...

There are many different ways in which you can be kept up to date with regards to your child’s well-being, whilst they are in the care of the Local Authority: You may be invited to attend a Looked After Child (LAC) Review. This is a regular meeting...

Anyone that watches soaps will know they cover a wide range of important topics and some people question the reality of it with it being a soap. In Coronation Street presently, Fiz and Tyrone have had a tough start to 2020 and have had their children removed...

In June 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that civil partnerships would be available to heterosexual couples, as well as same-sex couples. A civil partnership is a legal relationship which when registered gives the relationship legal recognition and provides...

The Court of Protection is a Court in England and Wales created under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The Court of Protection is responsible for protecting people who do not have the capacity to make decisions for themselves, the Court has jurisdiction over...

As the Christmas season approaches and work comes to an end for the year, the drinks begin to flow and celebrations commence. We could not think of a better way to celebrate the Festive Period than with a drink in our hands, however here at Johnson...

Can a 10 year old get a criminal record? Yes, in England and Wales the current age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old. This means that a 10 year old can be investigated by the police, be subjected to court proceedings and be convicted of a...

This year Johnson Astills teamed up with Will Aid to help support their fundraising campaign which involves nine of the UK’s leading charities. These include Action Aid, Age UK, British Red Cross, Christian Aid, NSPCC, Save the Children, SCIAF, Sight...

What Brexit means for victims and survivors of domestic abuse. It’s the talk of the town. Brexit. Boris Johnson’s deal still hangs in limbo. A general election on the horizon and new deadline of 31 st January 2020. There’s little...

The Grandparents Plus charity recently carried out a survey of kindship carers in England and noted that the current situation is in a state of crisis: For the full report - ‘State of the Nation Survey Report’- see link ...

There are lots of different types of assessments that can be completed when Social Services become involved in your life. Here are examples of some of the assessments you may be asked to undertake. Every child who has been referred to Local Authority...

Johnson Astills has recently developed an In-house Green and Sustainability Committee which has been aptly named ‘ Think Green ’ to improve the firm’s working practices and the employees’ approaches and attitudes towards...

What is parental alienation? Parental alienation lacks a single definition as there can be varying contributing factors and impacts. Generally, parental alienation is considered to be when a child is manipulated by one parent to display unjustified...

When arrested by Police, there are various different outcomes, one of which is to release under investigation pending further enquiries which need to be conducted, this outcome is used instead of releasing on police bail. However, unlike police bail there...

An advance decision is a statement of instructions about what medical and healthcare treatment you want to refuse in the future, in case you lose the capacity to make these decisions. It is important to note you can only refuse specific treatment in the...