Rea v Rea & ors [2024] WTLR 701
Summer 2024 #195Anna Rea had made wills dated 29 May 1986 (the 1986 will) and 7 December 2015 (the 2015 will).
At first instance, Anna’s daughter (the appellant) claimed to propound the 2015 will in solemn form. Her brothers (the respondents) counterclaimed to set aside the 2015 will, alleging lack of testamentary capacity, want of knowledge and approval, undue influence, and fraudulent calumny. They sought to propound the 1986 will.
The claim had previously been tried and then appealed, ultimately to the Court of Appeal, where a retrial was ordered.
On the retrial, HHJ Hodge KC fou...
Jennison v Jennison & anr [2023] WTLR 543
Summer 2023 #191The claimant was married to Graham Jennison (the deceased) who died domiciled in New South Wales on 11 July 2007. He left a will dated 16 August 2006 appointing the claimant as sole executrix. Probate was granted to the claimant on 15 May 2008 in New South Wales (NSW) (the grant).
The proceedings, in respect of alleged breaches of trust, were issued on 18 February 2019 by the claimant as personal representative of the deceased. The particulars of claim relied upon the grant. The defence pleaded that it was not admitted that the grant conferred jurisdiction to the claimant in respe...
Byers & ors v The Saudi National Bank [2022] WTLR 437
Summer 2022 #187This action related to a transfer in September 2009 of shares in five Saudi Arabian banks, then collectively worth about US$318m, by Mr Maan Al-Sanea (who at that time held those shares) to Samba Financial Group (Samba). The claimants were the liquidators of Saad Investments Company Ltd (SICL). They alleged that Mr Al-Sanea had at the time of the transfer held those shares on trust for SICL. The claimants brought a number of different actions against Samba in respect of the transfer of the shares, formulating the case on various legal bases in the various different actions. The iteration...
Guest & anr v Guest WTLR(w) 2021-05
Web OnlyThe respondent (who had been the claimant at first instance) was the eldest son of the two appellants. He had worked on the family farm full-time for some 33 years, until his relationship with his parents deteriorated. The respondent then brought proceedings against the appellants seeking a declaration of his entitlement to a beneficial interest in the farm on the basis of an alleged proprietary estoppel. At first instance, the court found in his favour, concluding that the first appellant had consistently and over time led the respondent to believe that he would inherit a sufficient sta...
Auden McKenzie (Pharma Division) Ltd v Patel [2020] WTLR 1133
Winter 2020 #181This was an appeal against summary judgment on a claim for equitable compensation for £13,149,479 plus interest at 2.5% pa compounded annually.
A was a director of R. A and his sister (Ms Patel) had founded R and had been sole directors and (directly and indirectly) owned all of the shares. Between 2009 and 2014, A had caused R to pay £13,763,452 against sham invoices to Dubai companies. The Dubai companies had retained 5-10% of the invoiced sums and paid the balance to A (and Ms Patel’s) personal bank accounts, to them in cash, and to third parties for the purchase of a New York ...
Howarth v HMRC [2019] WTLR 869
Autumn 2019 #176The Appellant was the settlor of a family trust based in Jersey which, following the merger of two companies, held shares in TeleWork Group plc. Ordinarily a capital gains tax charge would arise on the disposal of the shares but, on the basis of legal advice, it was suggested that this could be avoided if new trustees were appointed before the disposal in a jurisdiction which had no capital gains tax and a double taxation treaty with the UK. In June 2000 the Jersey trustees retired in favour of new trustees resident in Mauritius, in August 2000 the shares were sold in the course of a flo...