Who keeps the engagement ring in a property settlement?
- May 25, 2012
When asked for advice from a young women set to break off an engagement about any obligation to return the engagement ring, Hollywood socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor once famously said “of course you should return the ring darling – but make sure you keep za stone!” Questions about inclusion or exclusion of jewellery in the…
Supervised Contact of Children
- May 25, 2012
Introduction The area of residence and contact litigation is often fraught with highly emotional opinion. When involved in such litigation it is important to consider first and foremost the best interests of the children. According to law in Australia, the children have the right of contact on a regular basis, with both their parents and…
How long does it take?
- May 10, 2012
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the shortest war in history occurred in Zanzibar in 1896. Hostilities were called off after 45 minutes when three British war ships showed up! The longest war lasted 116 years between the British and the French ending in 1453 with Britannia eventually conceding France to the French!…
Anulling a Marriage
- April 27, 2012
Henry VIII petitioned Pope Clement VII for one in the 16th Century. He was refused but eventually circumvented the problem by establishing the Church of England. Basketball royalty, Dennis Rodman, successfully obtained one in 1998 on the grounds “he was too drunk to understand the wedding ceremony”. Six years later, pop diva, Britney Spears, repeated…
Time Wounds All Heals
- March 29, 2012
It is generally accepted that the grieving cycle of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance is the common emotional experience which follows the breakdown of a relationship. Whilst for some, the grieving has been done “on the inside” for many years before informing the other partner about ending the relationship, for others, this news can…
Change of name after separation
- March 29, 2012
After the breakdown of a relationship people often wish to revert to a surname used before marriage and/or adopt a new surname on formation of a new relationship. In this situation questions also arise about whether children to a previous relationship can or should change their names to accord with the change of name after…
Caring for Orphans
- March 29, 2012
One of the greatest concerns for parents, when it comes time to make a Will, is to ensure that their infant children are properly looked after in the event of an untimely death. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and the answers on the topic: Where will the children live? The Will…