Legal Papers
Papers Topic: Court Applications to Remove an Executor/Estate Trustee
6 PapersRecent Estate Cases that made a Difference and Why you Should Care
2016 saw the release of numerous interesting and important estates and trusts decisions. Justin de Vries and Joanna Lindenberg have summarized the top cases from the year and explained their impact on estates and trusts law. Starting with a discussion of the Court of Appeal decision in Spence v. BMO Trust Company, this paper also touches on…read more
Trustee Indemnification – Recent Developments
It is a fundamental principle that every trustee has the right to be indemnified out of the trust property for all expenses properly incurred in the administration of the trust. The trust instrument itself does not have to guarantee that the trustee will be indemnified; the trustee’s right to be reimbursed for expenses is a…read more
Representing The Estate Trustee – What To Know And What To Avoid
It has been said that the “worst part” about practicing law is dealing with clients. A rather harsh assessment, but it is likely trite to say that advising a client is never straightforward or easy. No doubt, most lawyers can recount the trials and tribulations of successfully representing their clients (the truly difficult client is…read more
Preserving, Holding, or Otherwise Dealing with Estate Assets during Litigation: What are the Options in Troubled Times?
Will Challenges are becoming more common. Whether it is the result of the much-vaunted and long-heralded wealth transfer between generations, the aging of society, or an American inspired litigious approach to sorting out life’s inevitable disputes, Will Challenges will likely only increase in quantity and complexity. Laying the groundwork for a Will Challenge is obviously…read more
Trustee Liability: When Will A Trustee Be Excused
When errors by a trustee cause losses to a trust, the question arises as to who should be forced to bear the weight of those losses: the beneficiaries or the trustees? On the one hand, it seems unfair that a beneficiary should lose because of the mistakes of someone who is in charge of administering…read more
Rose v. Rose – A Family Tragedy
Rose v. Rose is a recent Ontario case that deals with marriage breakdown, disillusioned children, and the finality of an irrevocable trust. Brian and Janice were married and had two daughters. In 1992, Brian and Janice transferred a ski chalet and cottage into trust for the benefit of their daughters. Brian was the trustee for…read more