Heather from Glasgow writes: My elder brother died recently in his early sixties, after a long illness. He was a successful author and academic, and his books sell well. One is the leading textbook in its field. He spent much of his life teaching in American universities, but he came back to die in the UK and never renounced his British citizenship.

Anthony from Oxford writes: I have been following with keen interest reports about the recent shooting in Arizona of the Jewish Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords. She survived the attack in which many other bystanders were killed by a lone gunman. I have read that he is now reportedly planning an insanity defence at trial. What are the limits of such a defence, and would it be open to him equally in the UK?

Philip from Bournemouth writes: Ever since we were small boys growing up together, I have been extremely close to my cousin. Some 12 years ago when our children had grown up and were off our hands, and we had each been made redundant by a large company, we opened as partners together in a home catering business. We never bothered with any written partnership agreement.