The Standard of Review

by: , November 12, 2024

When a decision does not go your way, it can be tempting to march straight to the Ontario Court of Appeal to…well, appeal the decision. However, the Ontario Court of Appeal is not an easy second kick at the can. The court will only review a decision if there is a question of fact, law,…read more

Minor’s Funds Paid Into Court

by: , September 30, 2024

Sometimes, the process of litigation necessitates the payment of funds into court. While there  are many reasons that money may be paid into court, in the context of an estate it is most likely to occur where a minor is involved. Because minors cannot hold property themselves, the court may order that funds belonging to…read more

A Refresher of Courtroom Etiquette

by: , August 26, 2024

For civil matters, parties represented by a lawyer do not necessarily need to attend a hearing. For parties who may want attend court hearings anyways, here are a few etiquette and practical considerations to be aware of prior to entering the court room: For virtual hearings: – Log in to the zoom link several minutes…read more

Litigation en Français

by: , April 22, 2024

Under the Courts of Justice Act, the official languages of the courts of Ontario are English and French.[1] A party to a proceeding who speaks French has the right to require that it be conducted as a bilingual proceeding, meaning: – The hearings that the party specifies shall be presided over by a judge or…read more

Lost connection: A brief overview of jurisdiction

by: , September 25, 2023

In today’s global economy, it’s not unusual for an estate to hold property across several provinces or countries. Where litigation involving such an estate looms ahead, there is always the question of where to bring the claim, also known as jurisdiction. One thing to keep in mind is that each province is its own jurisdiction….read more

He said, she said, hearsay

by: , July 31, 2023

The basic rule of evidence is that all relevant evidence is admissible. However, there are exceptions to this basic rule. One of the main exceptions is the rule against hearsay. But what exactly is hearsay? Today’s blog post will be a very basic overview of a complicated, tricky legal concept. What is hearsay? In R….read more

Power of Attorney resources and more from the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee

by: , June 12, 2023

In an effort to encourage Ontarians to think ahead and create Power of Attorneys, the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT) recently launched a video series all about Power of Attorney documents and their use. This new video series aims to increase awareness about Powers of Attorney, including the basics of what they…read more

Amendment of Pleadings

by: , May 1, 2023

At the outset, there can be a lot of mystery surrounding estate litigation. Every person involved likely has a different story, and will reveal previously unknown information as matters progress and affidavits are exchanged. As new facts emerge over the course of litigation, a party may discover new claims arising from the same series of…read more

The Consent and Capacity Board

by: , March 13, 2023

Capacity is often a key component of estate litigation, especially in the context of guardianship and attorneyship disputes. These fights are, for the most part, heard before the Superior Court of Justice. And yet, there is an administrative board with ‘capacity’ built into the name – the Consent and Capacity Board (“CCB”). What is the…read more

Compelling a Guardian or Attorney to Account

by: , January 16, 2023

Attorneys of property must keep detailed records of their management of the grantor of the power of attorney’s (the “grantor”) affairs. The reason for this is so they may pass their accounts when needed. While some attorneys may periodically pass their accounts without prompting, others may not. This can be frustrating for others who care…read more