Meredith Bateman Law Office

05/31/2026

Have you updated your will lately? New Brunswick’s rules just changed.

The province has passed major updates to the Wills Act, and they affect more people than you might think. Effective date still hasn’t been confirmed but sometime in the next 6 months these should take effect.

Some of the biggest changes: common-law couples who’ve lived together for at least two years will now have the same rights as married spouses when it comes to wills.

The age to make a will drops from 19 to 16.

If you get married, it will no longer automatically wipe out your existing will.

On the other hand, there’s also important news if you’re separated — any gifts left to a former partner in your will are now automatically revoked when a relationship ends, unless you’ve specifically said otherwise.

Bottom line? If you haven’t looked at your will recently, now is the time. These changes could affect what happens to everything you’ve worked for.

We’d love to help you make sure your wishes are protected. Give us a call or visit our website — we’re just around the corner in Riverview! 💙

📍 402 Coverdale Road, Riverview, NB
📞 506-387-4125
🌐 www.meredithbatemanlaw.com

Experienced Moncton lawyer offering expertise in real estate, family law, and wills. Contact us for reliable legal representation.

05/05/2026

So many moving parts and individual circumstances on this issue. It's going to be a difficult edge to walk no matter what the program eventually sets out. None of it is a possible *one size is suitable for all* type of legislation.

A Canadian woman who has been fighting for medical assistance in dying (MAID) to be an option for people with mental disorders, is now asking the courts to exempt her from current laws so that a doctor can end her life.

05/04/2026

Meet Harley! Our Chief Morale Officer here at Meredith Bateman Law.

She will be happy to entertain you while you are in the office for as many times as you are willing to throw the ball, ball, ball, ball, ball.

We acknowledge that Harley has a bit of an addiction problem with balls, which she would be happy to discuss with you while you are at the office.

05/03/2026

Who will make decisions for you if you suddenly can’t? An accident or illness can leave anyone suddenly unable to manage our medical decisions or our finances for a short period or a long period. Regardless of how young or old you are.

A Power of Attorney sets out who you trust to handle your financial or personal/ medical decisions if you’re unable to.

Without one, your family may need to go through a lengthy and expensive court process to act on your behalf and the people that get that authority may not be the people you would want.

Make an appointment to get your power of attorney documents arranged so the people you would want managing your decisions and your finances when you can’t are the ones who can legally help you when you need it. Arranging and finalizing basic will and power of attorney documents can be easier to do than you think.

It’s an important step to protect yourself and your family.

05/02/2026

The three most common ways to hold title on your real property (house, cottage, woodlot etc):

One Sole Owner: An individual, single corporation or organization solely owns the property.

Joint Tenancy: two or more people or entities own a property and hold the right of survivorship. If an owner dies, his share in the property will go directly to the other owners upon death and will not form part of their estate to be given under their will or estate. owner ship goes directly to the remaining joint tenant(s)

Tenancy-in-Common: Two or more owners of a property are called tenants-in-common. If one tenant-in-common dies, his or her share will go to the estate of the deceased and given away based on the terms of their will or estate instead of to the other co-owners.

If you are buying or selling you do need a lawyer to complete the transaction. Give us a call. We can help :)

04/30/2026

The boss took me out for a little drive / field trip over lunch to get out of the office for a bit. She seems to think I can be bribed. She might be right….

04/30/2026

Worth a look if you aren’t sure how to recognize scam emails. Registration required. Taking place May 12 at the (new) Riverview Fire Station.

Do you know what a phishing scam is?🎣

If you're an Older Adult interested in learning about internet safety and fraud, we encourage you to attend the RCMP Safety and Fraud Presentation. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn and ask questions 💻📱

🚓 Date: Tuesday May 12
🚓 Time: 2:30p.m.
🚓 Location: Riverview Fire and Rescue
🚓 Registration is required as spaces are limited. Please visit the link below or call Parks and Recreation at 506-387-2024 for additional information.

https://anc.ca.apm.activecommunities.com/riverview/activity/search/detail/15780?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true

04/30/2026

Waiting for the office manager to see me about my *employee of the month* complaint. I feel I am being ghosted.

04/26/2026

In New Brunswick, separation doesn’t always mean going to court. Many couples resolve issues like parenting schedules , support, and property and debt division through sorting out what works for their family and putting it into a written agreement.

Getting legal advice early can potentially help you avoid costly mistakes, protect your future and give you the information you need to consider for your individual circumstances.

Every family is different. There is no one size fits all all. We can help you put together what you have agreed on and point out missing pieces to consider or we can give you the information you need to sort out what you are entitled to, what your options are and what makes sense.

04/26/2026