Legal Questions

British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom concerning citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex owing to the United Kingdom’s former status as an imperial power.

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Although a name change may often seem like the right thing to do, it is worth being careful when it comes to applying for a name change. If you are changing it after marrying, or changing it back after a divorce, then there is no reason not to proceed so long as you are happy with your choice. Equally, if you are changing your name as a result of naturalization as an American citizen, or formalizing the name that you took upon religious conversion, then there is every reason to proceed with your decision. There are, however, cases in which your name change may be rejected, and others in which you might regret it. There is therefore plenty of reason why it is essential to think long and hard before changing your name.

For one thing, your name change petition is going to have to be ratified by a judge, and there is little desire on the part of the court to formalize frivolous name changes. It is in the judge’s discretion to uphold or reject a name change petition should he or she feel that there are reasonable grounds for doing so. This means that - as amusing as it may seem at the time - changing your name to “Superman” or “Luke Skywalker” may not come off as you had hoped it would. As long as the change is relatively harmless there is a chance that a judge may green light it, but remember it is in the hands of the judge, so you may be well advised to have a reasonable explanation for your request.

As it costs a lot of money to change your name, you need to decide whether the process is worth bothering with. Particularly as it costs money to get the forms in the first place - so even if your petition is rejected by the judge you will still be out of pocket. It is a matter of balancing the importance of having the name you choose against the time and money invested in making the change. If your name change will help your business, for example, then as long as it is rubber-stamped it is worth bothering with. Equally, if you have the money to spend and just fancy something different, then as long as you can justify your request legally.

Changing one’s name for malicious reasons is, however, not allowed. If your neighbor has done something to raise your hackles and you want to give him what for, then you will need to look at other legal approaches for this purpose, because changing your name to “[Neighbor’s Name] Is A [Term of Abuse]” is considered malicious and will be instantly junked by the court. Equally, changing your name to incorporate a term of racial, homophobic, religious or other such abuse is not going to be accepted. Changing your name for the purposes of impersonation is, again, not likely to pass, so the chances of making mischief by changing your name will be heavily restricted. Essentially, if you are planning to change your name, make sure it is for the right reasons.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.

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Receivers are appointed by the court as a neutral fiduciary, and may be done on a state or federal level. Their duty is to control assets, businesses and other real properties involved in litigation in order to preserve them during the pending outcome of said litigation. These appointments may occur during pre- or post-judgment proceedings, and may be related to Civil, Probate, Real Estate, Class Action or Regulatory actions.

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The law profession has once been regarded as one of the most lucrative in the world. Now, many lawyers are barely hanging on to their businesses – and it’s all thanks to the tightening grip of the credit crunch.

In an industry that has usually been recession-safe, some of the oldest law firms in the United States are becoming victims of the current recession. Long-established firms like Heller Ehrman LLP and Thelen LLP in San Francisco and Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP in New York City have closed their doors to the public, citing financial pressures.

While some large law firms close their doors, smaller firms and solo lawyers who have fewer overheads get an opportunity to fill the vacuum.

More suited to adapt to the fluctuating markets, smaller firms can lure once-loyal clients of larger firms which now seek to cut expenses. Additionally, small firms tend to specialize in various kinds of cases, whereas large firms mostly specialized in corporate and real estate law, both most affected by the current economic climate.

Firms that specialize in “recession packages” are overwhelmed with new cases, many related to asset recovery.

When considering a small firm, clients shall consider not just the partners’ expertise, but also the firm reputation. A free nationwide directory called www.LawyersReputation.com help businessmen to find out just how successful a lawyer has been with his or her cases. The evaluation posted there by the past clients is possible the best indication of whether the firm succeeds in keeping its clients satisfied. The websites of many bar associations shall also be consulted to make sure that the attorney does not have an alarming record of disciplinary sanctions.

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A woman accused of staging an abduction hoax that began near Philadelphia and ended at Florida’s Walt Disney World was returned to Pennsylvania in police custody on Friday and was held on $1 million bail.

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Back in the day when top bankruptcy lawyers could still be had for a mere $850 an hour, I posted about the exorbitant fees generated in large, corporate bankruptcy cases and asked why so few challenged legal fees recovered through the bankruptcy estate. Three years later, with fees up to $950/hour or more, bankruptcy attorneys continue to prosper, recovering their full rates while creditors are forced to accept the remainder to satisfy their claims.

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Divorce is stressful under even the best of circumstances, and it can be particularly difficult for those living abroad. Whether you reside in a foreign country due to military service, other business or simply to be in a place you prefer to live, it won’t be easy to manage a divorce across international borders.

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In March of 2006, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission along with TABC agents and Irving Texas police swept through 36 bars and arrested about 30 people on charges of public intoxication. This was supposed to be a proactive measure to stop drinking and driving. At one location, agents and police arrested patrons at a hotel bar even though some of the suspects said that they were staying at the hotel and had no intention of driving. Arresting authorities said the patrons were a danger to themselves and others. According to the TABC officials, the strategy was aimed at saving lives. Apparently, designated drivers, calling a taxi or walking home now means you can be arrested as a potential drunk driver, even when you don’t have a car.

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Some lenders will decide to pursue a non-judicial foreclosure, as provided in the original loan documents. When this remedy is taken and the lender becomes the sole title holder of a distressed real estate property, all income, as well as all the burdens and liabilities of the ownership of the property become theirs.

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Good on you! You’ve managed to buy a house. Your initial thoughts are to become a property investor where you can build up the equity in your home and use that equity to leverage yourself into other properties and increase your wealth steadily over time.At the time you purchased your house, a family trust was not at the top of your mind. Protecting your assets seemed boring and something you could get to ‘later’.But the fact is, that life events like a relationship split can not only be emotionally damaging, but financially damaging too.Look at this story below to illustrate.Samantha hadn’t had an easy time of it lately. Both her parents had died in the last couple of years and she felt quite alone. The only silver lining in the black cloud was that she no longer had to worry about money. Her parents had left her their house and their life insurance had paid off the mortgage so she had a pretty good start in life. Black clouds don’t last forever. Samantha finally met the love of her life and she felt like the luckiest girl in the world when David asked her to marry him. Things went well over the next few years for them. They had two lovely children and sold Samantha’s old family home and bought a new one for them all to live in.Then events started to unravel. First, David lost his job. Then when he got another job he seemed to work really long hours. Things became strained between them. Finally, David told Samantha he was leaving. If that wasn’t bad enough, David wanted the house sold and half the sale proceeds so he could purchase a home for himself. Samantha didn’t think this was fair. The home they now had was mainly paid for by the sale proceeds she’d got when she sold her parent’s old home. David didn’t see it that way and the battle between the lawyers began. Eventually, Samantha and David settled their differences in Court. The Judge ruled their home had to be sold and the sale proceeds had to be split 50 / 50. The Judge said that Samantha had ‘intermingled’ the sale proceeds she’d got from her parent’s old home to the point where those proceeds had become ‘relationship property’, which was to be split evenly between them. The result of this sorry story was Samantha not only lost her marriage but in effect lost her matrimonial home and her inheritance from her parents.How could this awful outcome have been avoided?Well we aren’t in the business of marriage guidance but we do know that taking good asset protection advice and putting in steps to protect her parents’ home and the resulting sale proceeds would have saved Samantha’s inheritance. That means setting up a family trust.

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