Muckian & anr v Hoey & ors [2014] NICh 11

September 2014 #142

The deceased had died suddenly without making a will, with his wife, the first defendant, being appointed as the administratrix of his estate. Disagreement arose in relation to the administration of the estate, and the plaintiffs, two of the deceased’s daughters, issued proceedings pursuant to Art 35 of the Wills and Administration Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1994, seeking removal of the existing administratrix and the appointment of a neutral professional person as administrator.

Held

Removing the first defendant as administratrix and app...

McCall & anr v HMRCC [2009] NICA 12

December 2011 #115

The appellants were the personal representatives of Mrs Eileen McClean (the deceased), who died on 8 January 1999. The appellants claimed that 33 acres of agricultural land in the deceased’s estate, which at the date of the deceased’s death was valued at £5.8m, owing to it having been zoned for development use, was business property for inheritance tax (IHT) purposes. The respondent, HMRC, determined that no part of the value of the agricultural land transferred on death was attributable to the value of any relevant business property.

The land comprised a number of fields in grass...