Smith & anr v Michelmores Trust Corporation Ltd & ors [2021] WTLR 1051
Autumn 2021 #184The testatrix (T), whose husband predeceased her, was survived by her four children, B1, B2, B3 and B4. T had appointed B3 and the partners of a solicitor firm as the executors of her will. She left the residue of her estate on trust to be divided into four equal shares: one for the benefit of each of B1, B2 and B3, and the fourth upon discretionary trusts, which included a wide power of appointment, for the benefit of B4 and his children and remoter issue. At the time of the hearing, B4 had three adult children and one minor grandchild. T died in 2010 and probate of her will was granted...
Smith & anr v Michelmores Trust Corporation Ltd & ors (costs) [2021] WTLR 1083
Autumn 2021 #184A testatrix (T) left the residue of her estate (the trust fund) on trust to be divided into four equal shares, directing that one of them (the share fund) be held upon discretionary trusts for the benefit of her son, B, and his children and remoter issue. The other three shares were given to her other three children absolutely. The will trustees (who were the executrix of T’s will and another person appointed by her as a co-trustee) sought the approval of the court for a proposed appointment of all of the liquid funds in the share fund to B absolutely. The judge refused to approve the pr...
Knipe v The British Racing Drivers’ Motor Sport Charity & ors [2020] WTLR 1333
Winter 2020 #181By clause 8 of his will the deceased gave the residue of his estate to four institutions in various shares, including a gift in clause 8(a) of a 50% share of his residuary estate to ‘the British Racing Drivers Club Benevolent Fund’ and in clause 8(d) of a 10% share to ‘the Cancer Research Fund’.
There was no institution with the name of the British Racing Drivers Club Benevolent Fund. The second defendant, the British Racing Drivers’ Club, was a well-known unincorporated association, but not a registered charity. The only benevolent fund administered by the second defendant was th...
Todd v Parsons & ors [2020] WTLR 305
Spring 2020 #178T died in 2009, aged 96 years, leaving two adult children, her son, who was the claimant (C), and her daughter, who was the third defendant (D3). By a will document dated 25 September 2008, T appointed the first defendant (D1) and the second defendant (D2) as her executors. D1 was the daughter of D3 and T’s only grandchild. D2 was the solicitor who drafted the will document. Both remained neutral in the proceedings.
In June 2017, C brought a claim for probate in solemn form of the will document and for an order removing D1 and D2 as executors and appointing an independent personal...
Lines v Wilcox & ors [2019] WTLR 927
Autumn 2019 #176The claimant was the administrator of the estate of Nancy Elizabeth Brock (deceased) who executed a ‘homemade’ will on 22 April 2005. The first defendant was appointed as executrix. The first, third, fourth and fifth defendants were the adult children of the deceased to whom she had bequeathed ‘all the money’ immediately following a reference to the price of £100,000 to be paid for the deceased’s house at 6 Mildfield Estate, Pontypool which she had agreed to sell to the first defendant and her husband, the second defendant. In the event, the defendant later transferred the house to the f...
Vucicevic & anr v Aleksic & ors [2018] WTLR 1545
Winter 2018 #170The claim was a claim dated 5 September 2016 by the claimants as personal representatives of the late Mr Veliko Aleksic (the deceased), who died on 24 October 2014, for construction of parts of the deceased’s last will. He acquired a house in London in 1960 and a house in Cardiff in 1971.
He left a holographic will, which was undated save for bearing the year ‘2012’. It was signed but there was no attestation clause. It did not provide for the appointment of an executor. The deceased’s estate was valued at £2,750,753, including three houses, one in Montenegro, one in Cardiff, and ...
Greathead v Greathead [2017] WTLR 939
Autumn 2017 #169This was an application for a declaration under the Presumption of Death Act 2013 in respect of a man (‘E’) who had disappeared on 17 November 2005 and had not been heard of since.
The claimant and his family came from South Africa to England in 1980. E was the claimant’s son. E was born in South Africa and was 15 when he arrived in England. He had difficulty adapting to life in England, but finished formal education and entered employment. From late 1998 he suffered panic attacks at work. He developed depression and resigned in October 1999. He lived in a flat a...