Trusts

Action? Application? What’s the Difference?

Litigation comes with its own jargon which is not easy to decipher. In Ontario a lawsuit/court proceeding is categorized as either an action or an application. What’s the difference? The terms are defined in the Rules of Civil Procedure, but these definitions are not terribly useful at first blush; an action is defined as “a […]

Estate Litigation, Trusts

I do not like the estate trustee/executor – can I get rid of them?

Can you apply for the removal of the estate trustee? Section 37(3) of the Trustee Act provides the court with legislative authority to grant an order removing an estate trustee upon the application of: -any executor or administrator desiring to be relieved from the duties of the office, or -any executor or administrator complaining of

Advice to Beneficiaries, Advice to Executors and Trustees, Court Applications to Remove an Executor / Estate Trustee, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Trusts

A Not So Pleasant Dispute: Is Mount Pleasant A Charitable Trust?

Despite Mount Pleasant’s bucolic name, some of the issues surrounding the cemetery recently have been less than… pleasant. The decision to close for Mother’s Day (and the previous closure) due to COVID-19 was controversial. While maintaining social distancing is important, giving residents the ability to use midtown Toronto’s “Central Park” (as one city councilor referred

Court Procedure, Estate Litigation, In The News, Trusts

The Revival of Unconscionable Procurement

The administrations of some estates simply do not move forward smoothly. The Elias Gefen estate is one such estate. In Gefen v. Gaertner, 2019 ONSC 6015, Justice Kimmel addressed multiple issues which had stopped the administration from moving forward, ranging from mutual wills to secret trust agreements. Justice Kimmel also applied, for the first time

Capacity, Capacity Litigation, Court Applications to Interpret a Will or Trust, Estate Litigation, Forms of Relief, Other Claims & Remedies Against Estates, Trusts, Will Challenges

Supreme Court Blesses Henson Trusts

The Supreme Court of Canada has given its blessing to Henson Trusts (fully discretionary trusts set up to not impact the beneficiary’s social assistance benefits) in S.A. v. Metro Vancouver Housing Corp., 2019 SCC 4. I previously blogged about this case when it was before the Court of Appeal. The Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation (the

Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Trusts
Scroll to Top