How to Know If You Can Dispute a Will and Win
I often get calls from people about what their chances are of winning if they dispute a will. Take a breath. Disputing wills can be emotionally difficult….
Case Comment: Estate of Young, 2015 BCSC 182
Background Last spring, the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (“WESA”) came into force, modernizing estate law in British Columbia. WESA was created in order to provide greater…
Musings on Dysfunctional Families
No family is perfect, although on the continuum of dysfunction, there are certainly more dysfunctional families than others. Estate litigation usually occurs because of the longstanding dysfunction…
The Family Relations Act Reform on Estate Litigation
I recently attended a Canadian Bar Association, British Columbia (CBABC) Wills & Estates section meeting, where respected family law practitioner, John-Paul Boyd (JP Boyd) presented a seminar…
Groundbreaking New Law Regarding Joint Tenancies
New case law from the Ontario Court of Appeal has provided that a mere “course of dealings” will allow one party to sever a joint tenancy into…
Case Comment: Easingwood v. Cockcroft, 2011 BCSC 154
This is a case comment on the recent decision of Easingwood v. Cockcroft, with neutral citation of 2011 BCSC 1154. The judge presiding over the summary trial…
Idiot’s Guide to the Wills Variation Act
Purpose of the Act: To provide relief to spouses and children of a deceased’s person’s (the “Deceased”) estate when they have been partially or completely disinherited by…