What is an enduring power of attorney and do you need one?
Article from: Your legal rightsAn enduring power of attorney is a legal document that gives someone else the power to make decisions for you and act on your behalf, even after you lose capacity to make decisions for yourself. The power of attorney can cover financial issues and personal issues (including your medical care and living arrangements). It is … Read More »
How to avoid telephone scams
Article from: Consumer and debtMost of us know the usual email scams, but the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is reporting an increase in telephone and SMS scams, with over 43,000 telephone scams reported in Australia in 2011. The Australian Securities and Investment Commission is warning of a carbon tax compensation scam, where you receive an unsolicited phone call … Read More »
What legal options are there to deal with financial hardship?
Article from: Consumer and debtThe rise in cost of living is constantly in the news, and this week there are reports that more people have fallen behind on their mortgages. Many people still aren’t aware that the law provides options for people facing financial hardship and having trouble paying mortgages, loans and bills for essentials like electricity and telephone. … Read More »
What is an unfair contract?
Article from: Consumer and debtThe Australian Consumer law introduced protection against unfair contracts from January 2011. But this is an area of law that many people still haven’t heard about. The law applies only to: Consumer contracts That are in standard form. A contract term is unfair if it: Causes a significant imbalance in the rights of the consumer … Read More »
Why talk to a lawyer about parenting?
Article from: Family and relationshipsMost people only think of getting legal advice if things have gone wrong. But parents who live apart from their child’s other parent (either because of a relationship breakdown, or because they never lived together in the first place) can benefit from legal advice that is focussed on preventing problems arise. There is still a … Read More »
Is telephone legal advice as good as face-to-face?
Article from: Dealing with lawyersWhen most people think about getting legal advice, they think about going into an office to see a lawyer. At Affording Justice we offer legal advice by telephone and also by video-conference. So it’s a reasonable question for our clients to ask – is telephone legal advice as good as face-to-face? There are clear advantages … Read More »
What do you need to know when choosing a lawyer?
Article from: Dealing with lawyersThere are a number of factors that make choosing a lawyer difficult: The product lawyers sell (advice and representation) is intangible and it’s hard to assess quality The way lawyers price their services make it difficult to compare one with another Most people don’t need a lawyer very often Lawyers are more specialised now, so … Read More »
When can Legal Diagnosis Help?
Article from: Dealing with lawyersLegal Diagnosis is the name we give to our innovative service where you talk to a lawyer to get an idea of where you stand and what can be done about your problem. Think of it like a visit to your GP. You get to ask about something that’s bothering you, and if it’s straightforward … Read More »
What rights do grandparents have?
Article from: Family and relationshipsGrandparents often play an important role in the life of their grandchildren and are specifically recognised in the Family Law Act, which provides: Children have a right to spend time on a regular basis with, and communicate on a regular basis with, both their parents and other people significant to their care, welfare and development (such as grandparents and … Read More »
It’s unfair, but is it discrimination?
Article from: Your legal rightsWe get a lot of inquiries from people who wonder if unfair treatment they have received amounts to discrimination. You may have been treated unfairly, but it will only come within the legal definition of discrimination if: It is in an area of activity covered by discrimination laws, and It is because of an attribute … Read More »
