MY WIFE left me five years ago and I don't know where she lives.

I want a divorce, but don't know what to do if I can't get hold of her to come to court.

l You may not need her. As long as you have all the financial information and documentation you need, you can get your solicitor to draw the papers, raise the action at court and serve it on your ex by advertising it in a newspaper of record.

If she doesn't answer within a set time, you can ask the court for the divorce without her practical involvement.

I HAVE been trying to withdraw a statement I made to the police against my partner. He has been charged and the police said I could not withdraw my statement. I wrote to the Procurator Fiscal but it was not mentioned at the court hearing. I really don't want this matter to continue and don't want to give evidence at court.

l Unfortunately violent partners get away with it if they are too easily "forgiven" their abuse. But whatever one's opinions, the law is that once the police pass the case to the Procurator Fiscal, it is the fiscal's sole decision as to whether the case goes ahead. Prosecution in our law is done in the public interest, and not on your personal behalf, so you don't have the right to stop it. You now have the status of a witness, and MUST come to court and speak up if cited by the Fiscal.

I WAS driving on a main street and an oncoming car overtook into my lane and hit my near side.

I wasn't injured, but my car was off the road for two weeks while it was being repaired. I use the car for work and picking up my children from a school that is a fair distance away, but the other driver's insurers are saying it is not essential that I have a car, so are not willing to pay my hire charges.

l The argument about necessity is probably not the relevant one.

Your duty as a victim is to mitigate your losses - that is not to make things worse for yourself in the expectation that someone else will pay. But here, you should not have to suffer being car-less as a result of another's negligence.

You would not be entitled to hire say a big posh car if you own a small runabout, but as long as you hire a moderate car you should get the cost back.

I BOUGHT a house and it turned out to have expensive dry rot.

The home report did not mention it. Can I make a claim against the seller, or his home report surveyor?

l You have no claim against the vendor - caveat emptor/let the buyer beware. You would only be able to claim compensation from the surveyor if he or she has failed by gross negligence to spot what should have been apparent rot.

Don't be put off that the surveyor was instructed and paid by the seller - he/she has a liability to the buyer who relies on the survey.