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Writer's picturePhoebe Lambert

How to Handle Your Legal Matters While Abroad



A large number of us travel abroad every year.

When planning to head abroad, many of us dream about enjoying the sunshine, lay back and relax on the beaches, or just living our best life. But, every year many British people regularly get involved with the local law of foreign countries.

If you are planning to travel overseas then you must familiarize yourself with the laws of the country(s) you are travelling to. This way you will be less likely to break their laws, get fined, or get arrested.


It's also worth remembering that the help you could get in the UK might be inaccessible or very expensive abroad.


Legal matters abroad could include being a victim of some crime, allegedly committing a crime, or getting arrested for a crime.


If you get involved in similar situations then you should:

  • Get into contact with the nearest British Embassy.

  • Find and hire English speaking lawyers or solicitors.

  • Get hold of translators or interpreters.

  • Start looking into information about overseas prisoners. Just in case.

If you don’t have a lawyer then start looking for one immediately. Type in something like, professional solicitors in Stockport to find one nearby.


Handling Your Legal Matters While Abroad


While travelling overseas, you can also get embroiled in legal issues back home. To deal with these legal matters from abroad, here are a few tips to consider:


  • Discover precisely what the legal issue is. Before you can make sense of what to do about a legal matter, you first need to realize what precisely this legal issue entails. Have you been presented with a notice of a lawsuit? Or is it something different, for example, a subpoena for your testimony or a cease-and-desist letter? One major thing that you need to be aware of is that depending on the legal matters, inability to meet the deadline may result in automatically losing the case. Just like in a divorce case where failure to meet a deadline may result in you having no say in the outcome of the proceedings.


  • Would you be able to determine the issue via telephone or the Internet? For some legal issues, you may be able to resolve them through a call or video conference. For instance, if you are required to give a testimony, you could do it without being there in person. Other issues might only require the scanning or mailing of documents that need to have your signature.


  • Consider granting power of attorney: A lasting power of attorney (LPA) is a legal document that lets you (the 'donor') appoint one or more people (known as 'attorneys') to help you make decisions or to make decisions on your behalf. You must be 18 or over and have mental capacity (the ability to make your own decisions) when you make your LPA.


Conclusion


These are just some of the legal matters that you could get embroiled into when travelling abroad. The most important thing to keep in mind is that no matter what issue you find yourself involved with, the first thing you need to do is contact your lawyer.

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