Topic: Summary Judgment

Lattimer v Karamanoli [2023] WTLR 1433

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Winter 2023 #193

Evi Kalodiki (the testatrix) passed away on 31 December 2018, having executed a purported will dated 27 December 2018 (the will) and married the claimant on 28 December 2018. The claimant maintained that the will was revoked by the testatrix’s marriage to him. The defendant was the testatrix’s sister and was named as a beneficiary in the will.

By an application to the Central Family Court, the defendant sought a declaration under s55 of the Family Law Act 1986 in respect of the status of the marriage, contending, among other things, that the marriage was invalid ...

Jennison & anr v Jennison [2022] WTLR 1027

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Autumn 2022 #188

The claimant at first instance was the widow of the deceased and the personal representative of his estate. The defendants were the deceased’s brother and sister-in-law. The claimant sought declaratory relief, an order for sale and compensation flowing from the defendants’ alleged breach of trust in dealing with land. The defendants defended the claim on the basis of a lack of standing as the claim form had been issued before the foreign grant of probate was resealed in the UK. The defendants appealed the refusal to grant them summary judgment or strike out on this basis.

Held (d...

Wang v Darby [2022] WTLR 327

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Spring 2022 #186

The parties entered into contracts whereby they exchanged specified quantities of cryptocurrencies, namely Tezos and Bitcoin, on terms of reciprocal restoration of the same amounts of each currency upon or after an agreed period of two years. The claimant applied to continue a worldwide freezing order and proprietary injunction. The defendant applied to strike out/enter summary judgment on the proprietary claims.

Held – applications granted in part

1. 1) Principles:
   1. a) Fungible and non-identifiable digital assets constitute property ...

Auden McKenzie (Pharma Division) Ltd v Patel [2020] WTLR 1133

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Winter 2020 #181

This 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 ...

David Roberts Art Foundation Ltd v Riedweg [2019] WTLR 741

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Autumn 2019 #176

The claimant was a registered charitable company and the owner of 15a and 37 Camden High Street, London, SW1 7JE (the property). In or around November 2016 the claimant’s directors decided to sell the property and instructed Robert Irving Burns (RIB) to market it. Following a targeted marketing campaign, the defendant made a formal bid to buy the property for £8,000,000. Heads of terms were agreed on 22 December 2016.

On 10 January 2017, the claimant instructed Mr Bryn Williams of DTZ Tie Leung Ltd (trading as Cushman & Wakefield) (CW) to prepare a report. A report was provide...

Burnden Holdings (UK) Ltd v Fielding & anr [2018] WTLR 379

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Summer 2018 #172

This appeal arose from an application by the defendants for summary judgment, dismissing the claim on the ground that it was statute-barred. The claim was for (and was for the purposes of the application assumed to have been) an unlawful distribution by the claimant company six years and three days before the issue of the claim form. Although, by the time of the hearing but after permission had been given to appeal, the claimant had amended its claim to include an allegation of fraud, so that there could not be summary judgment, the court considered the issue as to the meaning of s23...