Questions for lawyers Found 360

A survey has shown that part of my neighbour’s garage encroaches slightly on my land. They say that it has been there for years and that they do not intend to move it. Do I have any right to make them remove it?

My father made a new will only months before he passed, at a time when his memory was failing badly and he was heavily medicated. The new will strongly favours one sibling. Can this be challenged? I would appreciate some clarity on what the law actually requires here.

Our thirteen-year-old is refusing to go to their father’s house, and I do not want to force them. Their dad says I am breaking the parenting arrangement. What does the law expect of me, and does my child’s opinion count?

I have been freelancing as a sole trader for a couple of years and my income is growing. An accountant friend suggests incorporating, but I am worried about paperwork and cost. What are the real legal differences between a sole trader and a limited liability company in New Zealand?

While clearing scrub on our lifestyle block, we discovered nesting birds and what looks like a rare lizard. A friend warned that disturbing them could be a criminal offence. What should we do and what does the law say?

I have been charged with a serious offence and the judge mentioned my right to elect trial by jury. I do not understand who decides that or when a judge-alone trial is possible. How does it work in New Zealand?

I am drafting a service contract for my consulting business and I want to avoid costly disputes down the track. What should a good dispute resolution clause include, and should I pick mediation, arbitration or court?

A man came at me in a car park and I punched him to protect myself and my friend. He was hurt more than I expected and the police are now looking at me. How does the law treat self-defence and can I be held responsible?

We have a dispute with our child’s school over how a behaviour incident was handled. The school will not give us copies of the notes, emails and reports about him. Do we have a right to see his records?

I have designed a new device that I believe is genuinely novel. I have shown a few friends and posted a video online. I want to protect it, but I do not understand what patenting involves or whether it is too late.