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Informal Testamentary Documents – If I Change My Will Myself, Will it Count?
The law specifies certain legal requirements for a document to be regarded as a person’s valid Will. Principally, these requirements are that: the person making the Will (Testator) signs the document at the foot and preferably at the foot of [...]
Domestic Violence And Firearms- When can the Police Seize my Firearms?
If you think that you cannot end up in court if you have done nothing wrong – think again. Recently, a client of ours who has held a firearms licence for about 40 years and had never been in [...]
Australian Citizenship – Frequently Asked Questions
When can I apply? An application for citizenship can be made by any Australian permanent resident who has lived in Australia lawfully for a period of at least 4 years including at least one year as a permanent resident. [...]
Am I Entitled to a Copy of the Will?
When someone passes away, it is quite common for family members and/or other interested parties to ask about obtaining a copy or attending the “reading of the will” (if there is one).It is also quite common for people to be [...]
Advance Care Directives – Diminish Potential Guilt and Family Conflict in Medical Emergencies
An Advance Care Directive (ACD), sometimes called an Advance Health Care Directive, is a document that sets out your wishes in relation to your consent to or refusal of specified medical treatment in the future. The document becomes effective [...]
Family Provisions Claim – Case Law Update
Recent case law had demonstrated that the size of the Estate doesn’t always mean that an Applicant in a family provisions claim will be successful in attempting to get more than the legacy left under the Will. In Revell v [...]
Hansons Lawyers Acquires Atkins Jones
Hansons Lawyers are pleased to announce the acquisition of well established Wollongong law firm, Atkins Jones. Atkins Jones and its predecessors have been a locally owned and operated law firm proudly servicing the Illawarra for over 50 years. Atkins [...]
Testamentary Trusts – What is Meant by “Ineligible Office Bearer”?
With a Hansons Lawyers testamentary trust the trustee (controller) of each testamentary trust you create is also the primary beneficiary of their own trust. That person (your spouse, child or other nominated beneficiary) becomes ineligible to be the trustee and [...]
Do We Need A Shareholders Agreement?
There is no legal obligation for a company to have a shareholders agreement. Because it’s not a legal obligation many people either put off having one drafted or do not fully understand the benefits of having one in place [...]
Challenging Wills: Do Family Property Settlements Preclude Family Provision Claims?
In general, it is expected that a person will make provisions for their close relatives and dependents in their Will. If a person feels that they have been left out of someone’s Will, they can bring a legal challenge against [...]
