Questions for lawyers Found 360

After many years together, my partner and I have decided to separate. We own a house, two cars, some savings and a business that one of us mostly ran. We have no idea how the law treats all of that. Is it automatically split fifty-fifty, or are there exceptions?

I planted a small block of native trees a few years ago and a friend suggested that I could earn carbon credits. Are there legal requirements, and what risks are there if I later want to clear or sell the land?

My lawyer suggested making a without prejudice settlement offer to the other side. I do not understand what that phrase means and I fear it might be seen as an admission. How do these offers work, and what are the risks?

A competitor has a registered trade mark that blocks us from using a name we want, but we believe they have never actually used it in New Zealand. Is there a way to remove it from the register? I have tried asking around but nobody seems to give me a clear answer.

I have a few beers while fishing from my boat and I assumed that the drink-driving laws only apply on roads. A friend says that skippers can be prosecuted for boating drunk. What are the rules for alcohol on the water?

I took out a personal loan and the lender approved it after a five-minute online application without asking much about my expenses. Within months I was struggling with the repayments and my other debts. Shouldn’t a lender have checked that I could afford it, and do I have any recourse?

After we made a flooding claim on our house, the insurer told us it would not renew our policy, and other insurers are quoting very high premiums or declining altogether. Is that legal, and what can we do?

We have lived together for six years in a house that is in my partner’s name only, although I paid half the mortgage and we have a child. Now we are splitting up and my partner says the house is theirs. Do I have any legal claim?

A potential investor has asked me to sign a non-disclosure agreement before I show my business plan, and separately I want them to sign one before I share more. I am not sure whether NDAs are actually enforceable or how strong they are. What should I look out for?

A furniture store ran a huge sale advertising sofas at half price off the was-price. I later found out from a friend that the same sofa had barely ever been sold at the higher price. I paid what I thought was a bargain. Is that legal, and can I do anything now?