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For a UK court to have jurisdiction over a family law case, it is necessary to show that at least one party to it has habitual residence in the UK. In a recent case, an Israeli woman divorcing her Israeli husband sought a declaration that their two-year-old daughter was habitually resident in the UK so that the UK Family Court could deal with the hearings regarding the child's welfare. The Court refused the application and accepted that the child should be removed to Israel in accordance with the father's wishes....

Although the final result was not financial ruin for the defendant, a recent case illustrates how unwise it is to vent one's spleen on social media. It involved a firm of solicitors that had been involved in the sale of 'off plan' properties in Cyprus. This led an unhappy purchaser to make a post on Facebook and in a webinar that made allegations of mis-selling against the firm and others related to it. The result was a claim for damages for defamation. In hearing the claim, the High Court had firstly...

Can someone who trades in cryptocurrency futures or other sophisticated products via an online platform be viewed as a consumer? In a crucial decision for the investment sector, the High Court has answered that question in the affirmative. The case concerned a woman of substantial means who, on a leveraged basis, traded in bitcoin futures online. She sued the Cypriot company that operated the relevant platform for losses she was alleged to have suffered after her account was blocked and she was refused permission to withdraw funds. The company, however, argued...

The purchase of properties abroad is a process that can be replete with disputes and financial losses for the unwary or unadvised. Whilst some foreign countries have presented few issues, others have had more chequered histories. Recently, investors went to court to recover their losses resulting from a failed holiday resort in Cabo Verde. The promoters of the failed scheme had instructed the UK bank they dealt with to open a 'segregated client account' to hold investors' money. The account had restrictions on making withdrawals but did not specifically identify...