Heyes & anr v Holt WTLR(w) 2024-01

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Goss-Custard & anr v Templeman [2018] WTLR 893

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Autumn 2018 #173

The late Lord Templeman (‘the deceased’) died on 4 June 2014 aged 94, leaving a will, dated 22 August 2008 (‘the 2008 Will’). The claimants commenced proceedings seeking an order pronouncing for the validity of the 2008 Will in solemn form. The 1st and 2nd defendants defended the claim on the basis that the deceased lacked testamentary capacity both when he gave his will instructions on 11 August 2008 and when the 2008 Will was executed. They counterclaimed for an order pronouncing for the validity of an earlier will, dated 25 April 2001 (‘the 2001 Will’) and a codicil to it, dated 3 Dec...

Fraud: The whole truth and anything but the truth

Andrew Beck and Gwendoline Davies take an overview of remedies for commercial fraud, deceit and bribery ‘While there may be circumstances in which it is necessary to plead fraud, parties should be mindful of the possibility that other types of claim may deliver the results they are looking for.’ Civil cases of fraud, deceit and …
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High Commissioner for Pakistan in the United Kingdom v Prince Mukkaram Jah, His Exalted Highness the 8th Nizam of Hyderabad [2016] EWHC 1465 (Ch)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | December 2016 #165

The underlying claim concerned monies deposited in a new bank account with the National Westminster Bank (the bank) in the name of Mr Rahimtoola, the High Commissioner for Pakistan in London between 16 and 20 September 1948 (the Fund). The monies deposited had belonged to the state of Hyderabad/the 7th Nizam (Hyderabad’s absolute monarch at the time). The state of Hyderabad had been annexed to India between 13 and 18 September 2016. The underlying claim had been brought by Pakistan against the bank. A number of other defendants claiming an interest in the fund had been joined. Consequent...

Dellal v Dellal & ors [2015] EWHC 907 (Fam)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | September 2015 #152

The defendants applied for an order summarily terminating the claimant’s application for an order under s10 of the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (the Act) without trial.

J was a well-known, successful property dealer who died on 28 October 2012 worth a large fortune. The claimant (C) was his widow and had married J in 1997 following ten years’ cohabitation. They lived a high lifestyle. J had been married previously and had nine children; two children with C, four children from a previous marriage (D1, D2, D3 and D...

Fielden v Christie-Miller & ors [2015] EWHC 87 (Ch)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | September 2015 #152

This was the hearing of an application for strike out of a Part 20 claim or alternatively summary judgment in favour of the defendants where the underlying proceedings related to two separate trusts: a settlement of land and other assets created on 18 February 1967 by Charles (the settlement) and a will dated 15 March 1998 of Charles’s son, John, who died on 20 December 2004 (the will fund).

The claimant in the underlying proceedings had sought declaratory relief regarding the construction of a March 2007 deed, alternatively rectification of it, whereby the trustees of the will fu...

Dalriada Trustees Ltd v Woodward & ors [2012] EWHC 21626 (Ch)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | November 2012 #124

The first defendant (Mr Woodward) and the second defendant (Ms Ilett) were the trustees of two pension schemes (the Pennines and the Mendip Retirement Benefit Schemes) established by deeds of trust dated 23 August and 9 September 2011. A scheme for ‘pensions liberation’ was devised and implemented by and for Mr Woodward and John Davies (Mr Davies) utilising the third, fourth and fifth defendants, which were entities controlled by them. Members of other pension schemes were encouraged to transfer the cash equivalent of their benefits to Mr Woodward and Ms Ilett as trustees of the Pennines...

Burden And Standard Of Proof: Cash for crash

David Sawtell examines the growing instance of personal injury fraud ‘Defending a case on the grounds that it is fraudulent is expensive and time consuming. Sometimes it appears that the case would have little merit if it went to trial.’ Personal injury fraud is now big business. Last year’s report by the BBC’s Panorama program …
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IHT Planning: The mist has yet to clear

Vinton v Fladgate Fielder gives some indication of the current approach of the courts towards negligent IHT planning, explains Michael O’Sullivan ‘The judge in Vinton v Fladgate Fielder [2010] considered that the claim for breach of contract brought by the claimants in their capacity as executors did have a real prospect of success, citing the …
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