Ilott v The Blue Cross & ors [2017] WTLR 533
Summer 2017 #168The testatrix (T) died in 2004 leaving an adult daughter (C) from whom she had been estranged for 26 years. C had left home aged 17 to live with her boyfriend (B), of whom T disapproved. B later became C’s husband and they had five children. At the time of T’s death, C and her family lived in straitened financial circumstances: they lived in a house rented from a housing association, were reliant on benefits save for the husband’s intermittent work as a supporting actor and could not afford new household equipment or family holidays.
During the lifelong estrangement there had been...
In the matter of the Baronetcy of Pringle of Stichill UKPC 16
September 2016 #162This was a referral to the Privy Council under s4 of the Judicial Committee Act 1833, under which the Queen can refer matters to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council for advice. On this reference, the Privy Council was asked to advise as to (i) who was entitled to be entered on the Official Roll of the Baronetage as the Baronet of Pringle of Stichill; and (ii) whether DNA evidence resulting from the obtaining of a DNA sample from the tenth baronet (Sir Steuart Robert Pringle) in late 2009 or early 2010 should be admitted in order to determine the first question.<...
Crociani & ors v Crociani & ors [2014] UKPC 40
July/August 2015 #151By a trust deed dated 24 December 1987 (trust deed) Edoarda Crociani (settlor) settled a promissory note on herself and others for the benefit of her daughters, Cristiana Crociani (Cristiana) and Princess Camilla de Bourbon des Deux Siciles. The trust deed conferred extensive powers on the trustees in respect of both capital and income, including power to pay the whole or any part of the trust funds to another trust. Originally, it was provided that the forum for the administration of the trust and its construction should be governed by the law of the Bahamas. Clause 12(6), howe...
King & anr v Gershon Robertson (St Vincent and the Grenadines) [2014] UKPC 34
June 2015 #150The appeal arose out of a disputed claim to land.
In 1856 or 1857 W, who had been seised of land in fee simple, died. His will set out to leave a life interest in the land to his widow and thereafter to his four named children and after them to five named grandchildren. One of those grandchildren had (at least) two sons, E and B.
The respondent, G, was the grandson of B.
The appellants, K and R, derived their title from the other son E. In 1947, E had made a will asserting that he was the freehold owner of the land, it having devolved upon him as the heir at law of W...
Williams v Central Bank of Nigeria [2014] UKSC 10
June 2014 #140In connection with a transaction dating back to 1986 the respondent paid $6,520,190 to a solicitor in England to be held in trust on terms that it should not be released until certain funds were made available to him in Nigeria. The solicitor pocketed $500,000 and, in fraudulent breach of trust, paid out the balance to the appellant’s account with Midland Bank in London. It was alleged that the appellant was a party to the fraud. The respondent obtained permission to serve a claim form out of the jurisdiction and an application was made to set aside that permission.
Supperstone J ...