FAMILY, CHILDREN, CHARITY OR THE DOGS HOME? – Inheritance Law Update
This is not an entirely flippant title for this article and it hopefully will make you read on! It is an old adage from UK lawyers who deal with wills that some people would prefer to leave their assets to Battersea Dogs home than to their children. The fact is that in England as in […]
Powers of attorney – dealing with strategic affairs in Spain whilst in UK or away
A large number of properties in Spain are jointly owned by spouses, partners or sometimes by brothers and sisters who have inherited property from their parents. It is not always possible for all the joint owners to travel when it is necessary to sign documents, attend banks and local authorities who may then require proof […]
Off plan purchase – properties under construction – check First Occupation License
A very recent Supreme Court decision has confirmed previous case law in Spain about developer obligations to off plan purchasers. Unless a contract to purchase a property specifically states otherwise the purchaser has the right to rescind the contract if the developer asks for completion and does not have the License of First Occupation. The […]
PERSONAL INJURY – CASE STUDY – UK Claimant seriously injured in an accident at a hotel while on holiday in Spain
De Cotta Law has a highly effective Personal Injury division, providing legal services not only to foriegn residents, tourists and visitors to Spain, but also professional services to international law firms including UK solicitors. Here we publish an interesting case study from Stewarts Law, considered one of the UK's largest litigation only law firms, which […]
De Cotta Law wins a case against the Andalusian Health Service for medical neglicence
In this case, the patient was receiving chemotherapy treatment after successful oncology surgery. The chemotherapy drug that was administered intravenously, caused serious injuries to the patient’s arm, which have left a chronic condition. The Court ruled that while it is true the damage caused by the drug entering the arm, outside the vein, could be […]
Finding Lost Relatives and Heirs to Spanish Property, By De Cotta Law
As a law firm serving the international community in Spain, we are often approached by ‘heir-hunters’ or companies who specialise in tracing lost relatives. Over the last 30 or more years of immigration, residence and property purchase by British nationals many properties have been purchased. In some cases these people have lost contact with their […]
De Cotta Law’s Gisele van Meer Conveyancing Partner at Second Home Expo
We’re just back from Brussels, where we attended the ‘Second Home International Expo’ with one of our real estate partners, SLG Property. From left to right: Ron de Vries (SLG Property); Gisele van Meer (De Cotta Law); Willem Bruins (SLG Property) As an independent law firm, we are not aligned with any one single real […]
Family Law Legal Expert in Mijas-Costa / Calahonda – Sandra Wrightson, Barrister Overseas is on hand to help ex-pat families
Living the dream is what brings families to southern Spain; the more relaxed lifestyle, the favourable climate and the family-friendly culture. Yet for some, there are significant challenges to a stable family life. For example, work and economic factors can force one parent to work away from Spain; whilst schooling demands can take children back […]
Divorcing in the English courts, using a Spanish based law firm and an English barrister
We are often asked whether a couple can choose which country to divorce in and where they will have the greater economic advantage. With the new European regulations a “first come, first served” approach has been taken. A lot has been written in the news about wealthy individuals – forum shopping – that is looking […]
De Cotta Law wins a case against the Andalusian Health Service for medical neglicence – De Cotta Law gana un caso contra el Servicio Andaluz de Salud por negligencia médica
In this case, the patient was receiving chemotherapy treatment after successful oncology surgery. The chemotherapy drug that was administered intravenously, caused serious injuries to the patient’s arm, which have left a chronic condition. The Court ruled that while it is true the damage caused by the drug entering the arm, outside the vein, could be […]
EU Court rules that Spanish mortgage law is incompatible with European Law
In today’s ‘El Pais’ newspaper, the national Spanish periodical, the front page story is that the EU Court in Luxembourg considers present Spanish mortgage law to be incompatible with European Law as it prevents Judges from protecting home owners from evictions. The report goes on to say that the Spanish legislation is contrary to a […]
A Lasting Power of Attorney for UK assets – helpful information from De Cotta Law, Solictors & Abogados in Spain
Useful information from De Cotta Law. What is a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)? It is a legal document that appoints someone to undertake actions and execute documents on your behalf. Often used by those that wish to plan ahead and set out in advance what they would like to happen should they become unable […]