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…
Executor-Beneficiaries of Wills in BC: Can Fees be Reduced by Overlapping Self-Interest?
Executors are very often also beneficiaries of the estate they are tasked with administering, and it can be challenging to keep personal interests apart from estate business….
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…
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…
“Reprehensible” Conduct in Family Law Case Draws Over $1.2 Million Costs Award
A wealthy businessman adopted a battle plan designed to punish his estranged wife on multiple fronts in protracted Vancouver family litigation. The BC court found that the…
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…
BC Estate Litigation Arises from Suspicious Marriage and Missing Gold Coins
BC estate litigation arising from predatory marriage is not uncommon and may become more common as the BC population ages. Elderly people are often targeted by predators…
Special Costs of All Parties Ordered to be Paid Out of Estate Following BC Will Challenge
We have previously discussed the issue of who pays the costs of a BC will challenge. The general rule in estate litigation is that the unsuccessful party…