header-logo header-logo

No longer the odd couple

17 September 2009 / Michael Tringham
Categories: Features , Wills & Probate
printer mail-detail

Cohabitation rules: sometimes OK, says Michael Tringham

Cohabitation is the UK’s fastest growing type of family relationship. With marriages and civil unions lagging, the number of cohabiting couples has increased by more than 60% over the last 18 years—with percentages peaking among the over-50s.  The law is starting to catch up, but some hard cases point to hurdles along the way where probate is concerned.

Military service

Servicemen and women who want to make a will before being deployed on operations are given an MoD Will Form to fill in and place in a sealed envelope. This is logged by the individual’s unit and sent to the Service Personnel and Veterans’ Agency Document Handling Centre in Glasgow.
Since 2005 the Ministry of Defence has received fifteen complaints or queries about missing Wills, all involving dead members of the armed services.

Three were found after a search. But a Will reportedly made in 2008 by Corporal Rob Deering, who died in Afghanistan in December last year, was not. As a result his partner Gemma Polino

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
back-to-top-scroll