The Legal Costs of BC Committeeship Applications
An application to the BC Supreme Court is necessary for a person to become the guardian or “committee” of an incapable adult. The court application for committeeship…
Adult Guardianship in BC: Resolving Competing Committeeship Petitions
Dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other medical issues can leave a person unable to look after themselves. When that occurs, a “committee” can be appointed by the BC…
Bid for Special Referee Denied; Draws Costs in BC Committeeship Application
A special referee may be appointed within BC court proceeding to undertake factual investigations – often through the referee’s specialized expertise – that are necessary to the…
Family Dispute Leads to Contested Committeeship Application
Suspicion, differences of opinion, and conflict between family members make it very difficult to select an appropriate committee for a loved one. An application to the BC…
Court Clarifies Costs of Estate Litigation in Complex Family Dispute
This Vancouver estate litigation between siblings over their father’s estate—and the costs of the estate litigation itself—lasted nearly a decade. The BC Court of Appeal’s ruling in…
Advance Care Planning: Machines Keeping You Alive or Not?
When I was in private practice and assisting clients with their estate planning, we would often discuss their advance care planning. The discussions inevitably lead to 95%…
Punitive Special Costs in BC Committeeship Proceedings
It is common in committeeship disputes for families and loved ones to have diametrically opposed views of the best interests of the patient. Disagreements about the best interests…
Special Costs Granted from the Estate in Protracted BC Committeeship Proceedings
In BC, a committee can be appointed on application to the Supreme Court to make personal, legal, or financial decisions for an adult who is found to…
Who Pays the Legal Costs of a Committeeship Application?
Our Vancouver estate litigation lawyers have recently been discussing adult incapacity, the nature of committeeship, and the issues for determination on a BC committeeship application. In today’s…
Dispute over Mother’s Mental Capacity Gives Rise to Vancouver Litigation
Family disputes can be significantly exacerbated by the heavy weight of dealing with an ailing parent. Family members can become mired in conflict over whether a loved…