Creasey & anr v Sole & ors [2013] EWHC 1410 (Ch)

July/August 2013 #131

The claimants were the executors of the late Constance Jenkins (M), and, by representation, the executors of the late Kenneth Jenkins (F). F died on 21 October 1995 and M died on 15 January 2005. The defendants, F and M’s children, disputed the devolution of their parents’ estates and the court’s direction was sought.

F and M had owned a farmhouse and land extending to some 210 acres on the Isle of Wight as beneficial tenants in common (Ashey). F and M owned other land, in some cases jointly and in others cases individually. One such further holding consisted of 26 acres, known as...

Re Portland Place (Historic House) Ltd [2012] EWHC 4199 (Ch)

July/August 2013 #131

Mr Davenport the applicant (A) applied to the Companies Court pursuant to ss1 and 17 of company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 for permission to give instructions to solicitors acting on behalf of Portland Place (Historic House) Ltd, (the company), a company incorporated in Nevis in the West Indies in relation to litigation brought against that company. A applied from prison where he is serving sentence for fraud. In September 2011 he had been disqualified for ten years from being a director of a company or in any way being concerned in its management with...

Vallee v Birchwood [2013] EWHC 1449 (Ch)

July/August 2013 #131

On 6 August 2003, Cheryle Vallee (the claimant/respondent) visited her 93-year-old father Wlodzimierz Bogusz at his home. Ms Vallee, who lived abroad, told her father that she planned to visit next at Christmas. He replied that he might not be alive by then as he did not expect to live much longer. He handed over the deeds for his unregistered property, a house key, his war medals and a photograph album. The main asset of the estate was his property.

In December 2003 Mr Bogusz died intestate. Ms Vallee had been fostered and then later adopted after her mother and father’s m...

Joshi & ors v Mahida [2013] EWHC 486 (Ch)

June 2013 #130

Kiritkumar Mahendersinh Mahida (testator) and his wife, the defendant, owned (inter alia) freehold property at 148-152 Leytonstone Road London as beneficial joint tenants. They were, however, separated when the testator made his last will (will) on 17 July 2002. After appointing the first and second claimants his executors and trustees, the testator gave certain property to his brother, the third claimant, and his three sons, the fourth to sixth claimants. In particular, by clause 3(c) he gave them an interest in the property at Leytonstone Road, but unfortunately expressed the ...

Re Wilson (dec’d) [2013] EWHC 499 (Ch)

June 2013 #130

The testatrix Iris Wilson (Iris) made a will dated 31 August 2010 and died on 6 October 2010. Her will appointed the first defendant Mr Phythian as the sole executor and left her personal effects and the residue of her estate to the second defendant Mrs Phythian and the property known as North Lodge in Yalding Kent in equal shares to Mr and Mrs Phythian.

Mrs Lynda Turner (the claimant) the niece of Iris challenged the will on three grounds:

  • Lack of proper execution.
  • Lack of mental capacity.
  • Lack of knowledge and approval of the contents of the will.<...

Cripps Trust Corp v Sands [2012] EWHC 2229 (Ch)

May 2013 #129

Lieutenant Colonel Sands died in 2000 leaving a will and codicil. He left a large and valuable collection of paintings and other chattels which, under clause 2 of his codicil, he gave to be held on trust by his trustee, Cripps Trust Corporation (CTC), for his wife Mrs Sands (who had passed away some time before the court case) for life and then to be divided between a class of beneficiaries that included galleries and museums. If CTC did not exercise this power the residuary beneficiaries of the will (in this case Lieutenant Colonel Sands’ grandchildren) would take the paintings an...

Re Frost (dec’d) [2013] EWHC 435 (Ch)

May 2013 #129

Richard Frost (the deceased) died on 4 March 2008 leaving a will dated 26 September 2007 (the will). The will bequeaths the deceased’s residuary estate on trust as to one third for each of his daughters, Linda Aylen (Linda) and Susan Frost (Susan), one sixth to his son Andrew Frost (Andrew) and one twelfth to each of Andrew’s two children. The deceased’s only asset of significant value was his property in Lewisham. He sold this shortly after making the will and realised net proceeds of £353,480. He had at that time been living with Linda for several months and continued...

Schrader v Schrader [2013] EWHC 466 (Ch)

May 2013 #129

Jessica Schrader (the testatrix) died a widow aged 98. The testatrix’s two sons, the claimant (Nick) and the defendant (Bill), survived her.

By a will dated 1 October 1990 (the 1990 will), drafted by a firm of solicitors, the testatrix had made specific gifts of shares and savings bonds to her grandchildren and thereafter left her residue (on her husband having predeceased) to Nick and Bill in equal shares absolutely.

However, in or about May 2005, the testatrix suffered a fall and Nick moved into the testatrix’s property to act as her carer. On 12 April 2006, a further wil...

Gabriel v Little & ors [2012] EWHC 1193 (Ch)

April 2013 #128

The claimant (Mr Gabriel) and the first defendant (Mr Little) were businessmen and erstwhile friends who had previously collaborated in respect to a project known as Southgate street development in Gloucester. The third defendant (High Tech), the entire share capital of which was owned by Mr Little, was the building contractor. The fourth defendant (BPE), a firm of solicitors engaged by Mr Gabriel, drafted a facility letter recording the terms upon which Mr Gabriel was prepared to make a contribution by way of loan to the cost of the development. In the event, Mr Gabriel was unable to ob...

Iles v Iles [2012] EWHC 919 (Ch)

April 2013 #128

The deceased, Mr Bob Iles (D) acquired the disputed land and other land which formed part of the Forge Industrial Estate (the Forge) in Darlington over a period of time.

In 1983 D and his wife, the defendant, Mrs Margaret Iles (W) signed a declaration of trust declaring that they held a parcel of land at the Forge in favour of the claimant, their daughter Rebecca (R) upon her attaining 21 years of age. In 1988 the council compulsorily purchased all land held by D and W at the Forge, which included this parcel of land. Following lengthy negotiations, there was an exchange of land ...