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What is the role of an intermediary in court?

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The role of an intermediary was created by the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 to aid in criminal cases which involved vulnerable witnesses. However, the use of intermediaries has since spread to be included in Family Court proceedings due to...

Just a little fight....Affray

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What could start out as a disagreement between two people could result in your arrest and ultimately a criminal conviction. In recent months even England Cricketer Ben Stokes has found himself charged with affray following an incident outside a Bristol...

Duty Solicitors - a Vital Role in Criminal Justice

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In a segment on the Victoria Derbyshire show on BBC2 on Tuesday 17 April our Managing Partner and Solicitor Advocate, Helen Johnson appeared to discuss the implications of cuts and fees in criminal matters, particularly in relation to police station...

Selling your property- What is involved? What do you need to do?

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Energy Performance Certificate If you're planning on selling your home , it is a legal requirement to provide the Buyers with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with a minimum rate of ‘E’. An EPC contains information about a...

Thousands of domestic violence & abuse cases halted by legal costs

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It has been reported by the BBC that the National Centre for Domestic Violence say that 6,000 victims of domestic abuse were denied free legal representation last year. Even when victims require Legal Aid to obtain Non-Molestation Orders, the applicants...

Director of Public Prosecutions resigns

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The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Alison Saunders (the Lawyer who leads and is ultimately responsible for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)) has announced that she will not be extending her five-year term and will be resigning. This move seems to be...

Road Traffic Offences Specialists

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With offences ranging from failing to wear a seatbelt to causing death by dangerous driving it is arguable that no other area of criminal law covers such a broad spectrum of offending behaviour. At Johnson Astills our specialist road traffic lawyers have...

Private Adoption - Step-Parent and Cohabiting Couples

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If you are a step-parent or a cohabiting couple you may have thought about making an application for an Adoption Order. A parent must apply jointly with you to adopt the child, both adults will then become the child’s adoptive parents. An application...

Top Judge calls for sweeping changes to Divorce Laws

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  Britain’s most senior Judge, Sir James Munby has commented that marriage laws are “very badly in need of reform” and has called the current way financial settlements are dealt with as ‘Victorian’ and unfairly biased in...

In what circumstances can the police remove your child from your care?

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Under Section 46 of the Children Act 1989 , a child can be lawfully removed without the consent of the parents if the police officer reasonably believes that the child is at risk of suffering significant harm if they are not removed or kept in suitable...

What to expect if Social Services become involved with Family

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Social Services have a statutory obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. Families often feel anxious at the thought of Social Services becoming involved and about letting them into their homes. These worries are natural but it is...

Joint Tenants or Tenants in Common?

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Joint Tenants or Tenants in Common? As a prospective buyer, buying with another person can be an attractive option, allowing you to gather a bigger deposit and share your mortgage repayments. In England and Wales, there are two types of co-ownership and...

What does being released under investigation by the police mean?

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What does being released under investigation by the police mean? As a result of the introduction of the Policing and Crime Act 2017 the police can no longer release someone on bail for longer than 28 days, unless this has been lawfully extended. ...

Drones: New Technology v. Old English Law

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At Johnson Astills we are alert to technological innovation and the implications this has with the criminal law. Professional and amateur use of drones has increased significantly over the last few years, but it is increasingly coming under fire in relation...

What is a Child Protection Conference?

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A Child Protection Conference is generally held following a referral and investigations by the Local Authority in relation to a particular child and their situation. The test for convening a Child Protection Conference is: the child is at risk of significant...

Help to Buy ISA : Finding your way onto the property market

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If you are a first-time buyer, putting your cash in a Help to Buy ISA is a no-brainer. You will require a minimum of £1,600.00 saved and the maximum bonus you can acquire is £3,000.00 (on £12,000 savings). You must not own and never have...

What is Disclosure in a Criminal Case?

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You may have heard of a number of high profile rape and other serious cases collapsing recently due to a lack of disclosure. But what is disclosure?  As experts in Criminal Defence, Johnson Astills can explain. When investigating a case the police...

Role of the Children's Guardian in Care Proceedings

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Social services have a statutory obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. If there are serious concerns about the safety or welfare of your child then social services may apply to the court for a care or supervision order. A Children...

Legal representation: When Social Services are involved

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If you require legal representation in relation to Child Law matters do not hesitate to call our Care Team at Johnson Astills on 0116 255 4855 or email us at  careteam@johnsonastills.com . Our team are highly experienced and can deal with a range of...

Family Legal Aid for Survivors of Domestic Abuse

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From January 2018 the evidence test to qualify for Legal Aid in family cases for survivors of domestic abuse will be greatly relaxed. The government has decided to scrap the five-year time limit for certain types of evidence and broaden the types of...

Fitness to Practise and University - What you need to know?

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Studying for a degree and working hard towards a professional qualification only to find your future in jeopardy? Are you facing Disciplinary or Fitness to Practise Proceedings at university? The Criminal Defence Team at Johnson Astills are experts in...

Child Protection Plans

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Social Services have a statutory obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. If Social Services invite you to attend a Child Protection Conference it is because they have some concerns about the safety of your children. If you are asked...

Nitrous Oxide, the latest "legal high" & The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016: No Laughing Matter

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Nitrous Oxide, or laughing gas, is well known for its euphoric and pain relieving effects as it is widely used as an anaesthetic in medicine and dentistry; it is even used in catering for whipped cream canisters. However, following the Psychoactive...

Do you require legal representation at Court?

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If you require legal representation at the Youth Court, Magistrates’ Court and/or the Crown Court do not hesitate to call our Criminal Law Team at Johnson Astills on 0116 255 4855 or email us at  crimeteam@johnsonastills.com . Our team are highly...

Did you know if you're a student and receive a criminal conviction it could affect your studies?

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Are you a student at University, studying to gain employment for your future career? If you find yourself in trouble with the police or criminal courts, you are expected to inform the University. If you receive a caution or conviction you could find yourself...

Stamp Duty Land Tax changes for First Time Buyers

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Following recent spring budget announcement there is no significant changes to stamp duty land tax for first-time buyers or downsizing individuals. If you are a first time-buyer, SDLT will only be payable on residential properties over £425,000 (if...

Parental Responsibility and Surrogacy in Same Sex Civil Partnerships

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The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 set out who under English Law are the legal parents of a child which is born after sperm donation or artificial insemination or other fertility treatment. Where a woman is in a same sex civil partnership at...

What is an Easement?

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An Easement is a right attached to one piece of land (dominant tenement) which gives the owner of the land a right to use another person’s land (servient tenement). The owners of the dominant and servient tenements must both have estates in the land...

Failed to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change of circumstances?

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It is a criminal offence if you have failed to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change in your circumstances, whether it is financial or not. • The changes you should notify are; obtaining employment, (also to include if your hours or...

WHEN IS A CONSPIRACY THE WRONG CONSPIRACY?

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Helen Johnson Solicitor Advocate at Johnson Astills When the prosecution decide to charge an offence of conspiracy they have to prove that there was an agreement to commit a criminal offence, eg to supply drugs. Evidence of that agreement can be inferred...

The Right to Affordable Justice: The Bach Commission

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At  Johnson Astills  we are committed to providing affordable representation and advice to all our clients. On 22nd September 2017 the Bach Commission, setup by Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner and former barrister Lord William Bach,...

Need representation at the Police station?

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If you require legal representation at the Police station, even at short notice, do not hesitate to call our Criminal Defence Team at  Johnson Astills  on 0116 255 4855 or email us at crimeteam@johnsonastills.com . If you are asked to attend a...

Looked After Children

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Here at  Johnson Astills  we recognise that different terms may be used during the time that social care are involved with you and that you may not always understand these terms. We appreciate that it is important for you to understand the...

What is a Codicil?

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Nearly all of us know what a Will is, but how many of us know what a Codicil is? A Codicil is a document that can be used to make an alteration to a Will. The same formalities that apply to Wills, apply to Codicils so for example, the document must be...

Serious offences involving vulnerable witnesses - from police station to court

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Section 28 of the Youth Justice & Criminal Evidence Act permits video recorded cross-examination and re-examination of vulnerable witnesses. In short this permits all evidence to be recorded before the trial which will then be played in Court. The...

Stop and Search - are the police acting lawfully?

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New standards and training for police officers conducting stop and search will be rolled out across England. Police officers will be required to take an online course and sit an exam which will test when they should use the stop and search power. It is hoped...

Leicester Pride

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Leicester Pride is Leicester’s annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) festival, held at the beginning of September. It is one of a number of nationwide celebrations that take place to celebrate the LGBT community. This year Leicester...

FGM - What is it and what can we do to prevent it?

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FGM = Female Genital Mutilation There are four types of FGM, ranging from partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or labia, to partially sealing the vagina, to any other harmful procedure to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes. Where does...

When can Social Services remove your children from your care

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When Social Services are involved with your family it can be a stressful time during which you are constantly worried that your children could be removed from your care. You may not understand what Social Services can and cannot do. Here at Johnson...

Grease Is The Word

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On Tuesday 6 th  December 2016, Emery Johnson Astills along with guests, attended the Curve to enjoy a performance of Grease the Musical in celebration of their 21 st  Birthday. As members of the Curve, Emery Johnson...

Legal highs are not actually legal!

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Although Psychoactive Substances Act came into effect in spring 2016 many people are still unaware of the consequences and effect of this new legislation. Psychoactive drugs or often incorrectly labelled legal highs contain one or more chemical substances...

The Jury in the Trial of King Richard III are asked 'Guilty or Not Guilty'....

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Once upon a time, a few hours down the M1, two bodies were discovered buried within the Tower of London.  Rumours were that the bones belonged to Prince Edward and Prince Richard, the nephews of the Plantaganet King Richard. Helen Johnson, Managing...

Non-accidental injuries - what happens when a child gets hurt and we don't know the reason why

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Children can be clumsy. They can fall over or get knocked down and they get right back up again. Children suffer from bumps, bruises and breaks. Accidents can happen but sometimes a child can be injured and the explanation provided is not consistent with the...

Leicester Half Marathon Relay

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On the 23 rd  October 2016 the city of Leicester hosted the Leicester half and full marathon, many streets were closed or partially closed to allow a route for the runners. A full marathon is 26.2 miles long and the half marathon is 13.1 miles long....

Failing to Report an Accident

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Leicester University’s Criminology Department found more than 17,000 cases in 2015 involved a hit and run driver. So what do you have to do when you are involved in a road traffic collision? The Law states that when drivers are involved in an accident...

Probate and Estate Administration: What is the Tell Us Once Service?

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Tell Us Once is a service that should be used after someone dies. It collects information about the deceased and allows you to report the death to multiple government organisations all at once. The service requires you to complete a form which you can do...

Land mark case regarding taking children on holiday

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Have you been fined for taking your child on holiday during term time? A landmark ruling in the Supreme Court could soon determine whether parents will face prosecution for taking their children on holiday during term time. At Johnson Astills, we have...

What is a Secure Accommodation Order?

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A Secure Accommodation Order can be made under Section 25 Children Act 1989. This Order allows children’s services to place a Looked After Child under the age of 16 in secure accommodation, on welfare grounds, if one of two conditions apply: The...

Secure Accommodation Orders- keeping teenagers safe?

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Sometimes, teenagers can be ‘out of control’. They can become involved in situations that put themselves or others at risk and it is not possible for their parents to protect them. This may be that they are putting themselves at risk of sexual...

The proposed offence: Shining a laser at any transport operator.

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Laser pointers are portable hand held devices, generally used by professional trainers as presentational aids and it is not illegal to purchase a laser pointer. However, if a person points a laser at an aircraft and causes the aircraft to become endangered,...

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