April in Review

Here is a review of some news in April with articles on Divorce, Wills and Data Protection. All original articles are linked below.

A divorcee’s plan to have what was described as a “meal ticket for life” backfired when Lord Justice Moylan ordered that her maintenance payments should be stopped after 3 years.

Kim Waggott wanted an extra £23,000 a year increase on top of her £175,000 annual maintenance payment, alongside her settlement of £9.76m which she used to by a new home and also a holiday home.

It was argued that the maintenance order should end after 2 years, and Lord Justice Moylan believed should Mrs Waggott invest 10% of her payout, she would be able to live off the interest and failing that, she could obtain employment.

Published by The Telegraph
11th April
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/11/divorcees-meal-ticket-life-bid-backfires/

Over 100 solicitors and barristers took it upon themselves to gather outside the Ministry of Justice’s London Headquarters to demand change and protested against legal aid reforms.

Court closures mean people have to travel much further to the nearest court, as explain by Katherine Barnes who is a co-chair of the Young Legal Aid Lawyers group.

According to the Law Gazette, so far 95 chambers have declared publicly their support for action which was recommended by the Criminal Bar Association over the government’s changes to the advocates’ graduated fee scheme.

Published by The Law Gazette
19th April
https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/law/lawyers-unite-to-tell-the-government-its-time-for-justice/5065728.article

As of 25th May, the new General Data Protection Regulation come into force in the EU. As of late, we have been constantly reminded of the Facebook data scandal, in which Cambridge Analytica harvested millions of users’ information, which have bought tighter rules on the handling of data.

Legislation has been drawn up by Ministers allowing the Information Commissioner to carry our inspections without a warrant, calling them ‘no notice inspections’.

Organisations have 24 hours to hand over information following a request from Britain’s data watchdog and can face criminal convictions if they fail to do so.

Published by The Telegraph
28th April
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/28/firms-face-surprise-raids-data-inquiry/

If you wish to read more about the new regulations, click here.

A Putin-linked billionaire has been ordered to hand over a £350m superyacht which boasts nine decks, a mini-submarine and a 20-metre outdoor swimming pool, has been deemed part of Britain’s biggest divorce case.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave said the billionaire, Mr Akhmedov, had attempted to ‘evade enforcement’ of an earlier court decision to give his wife 41% of his fortune.

A spokesperson for Mr Akhmedov said the case should never have been bought before an English court, after the ruling was given.

Published by The Telegraph
19th April
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/19/350m-superyacht-commissioned-roman-abramovich-given-ex-wife/

‘A carer who “guided the hand” of a millionaire into signing over almost half his fortune has been stripped of her windfall in court.’

Banker Marcel Chu made a Will in 2008 which divided his estate between his close family and a friend, but his carer named Donna Henderson is believed to have guided his hand on a new Will leaving 40% of his fortune to her and her children.

The new Will which was signed two days before Marcel died has been ruled invalid, leaving Ms Henderson with a large legal bill. She claims she had “guided his hand” and “assisted him because of his infirmity”

Before this, she is said to have “taken control of his life and excluded his siblings” during the year before died. He had a “relatively close relationship” with his two brothers and sister for most of his life, and they were named as executors in his Will made in 2008.

Published by the Mirror
30th April
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cold-hearted-60-day-carer-12456764

A call for no fault Divorces has been made by the UK’s most senior judge, Baroness Hale. She argues that rules assigning fault can ‘trigger unnecessary conflict’ and can ‘encourage people to accept unfair blame’.

In 2016, 56% of divorces in England and Wales were based on adultery or other behaviour. Scotland has different laws and that figure was only 6%.

The Supreme Court is due to consider an appeal in which as husband as refused to divorce his wife despite her claims that she is entitled to a separation of the grounds of his unreasonable behaviour in a “loveless marriage”.

Published by The Times
24th April
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/top-judge-baroness-hale-calls-for-no-fault-divorces-rx7d6v2wd

This month Buchanan & Co. held a Will month in support of the Chesterfield Canal Trust. We are also due to attend their annual summer festival on 30th June and 1st July with our stand. There will be charity stalls, wildlife groups, canoeing and so much more. To find out more about the festival, click here.