Challenges to Validity of Wills
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Riben Estate (Re), 2023 SKKB 72
The recent Saskatchewan Court of King’s Bench decision in Riben Estate (Re), 2023 SKKB 72 offers a reminder that a will challenger who alleges coercion must offer direct evidence to actually prove that pressure resulted in the creation of the challenged will. If they...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Bell v Bell, 2023 SKCA 53
The recent Saskatchewan Court of Appeal decision in Bell v Bell, 2023 SKCA 53 upheld a Court of Queen’s Bench decision, in which a Chambers Judge had dismissed a will challenge.Factual background: In his application in Queen’s Bench, Wayne Bell had challenged the will...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Vaudreuil v Madson, 2023 SKKB 19
The recent Saskatchewan King’s Bench decision in Vaudreuil v Madson is an example of a testamentary document in which a trial was required to determine its validity. This was because of contradictory evidence which had been adduced as to require findings of...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Kuffner v. Jacques, 2023 SKKB 14
The recent Saskatchewan King’s Bench decision in Kuffner v. Jacques offers guidance on when the merits of a will challenge can be decided in a summary fashion, as opposed to a full trial.Factual background: The factual background in Kuffner was as follows: The Will...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Nagy v. Graves, 2022 CarswellSask 590, 2022 SKKB 257
The recent Saskatchewan Queen’s Bench decision in Nagy v. Graves reminds us that a Court will often remove executors who are guilty of extreme delay in administering an Estate.Factual background: The factual background in Nagy was as follows: Nine siblings of the Nagy...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Bell v Bell, 2022 SKQB 198
The recent Saskatchewan Queen’s Bench decision in Bell v Bell, 2022 SKQB 198 is an example of a Will challenge which did not succeed in raising a genuine issue for trial. Bell reminds us that Courts will generally require firsthand evidence of incapacity or of...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Peters (Estate) (Re), 2022 SKQB 186
The recent Saskatchewan Queen’s Bench decision in Peters (Estate) (Re), 2022 SKQB 186 prohibits the practice of altering an affidavit without actually re-swearing it.Factual background: The background facts in Peters can be described as follows: Antonia Peters died on...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: Martin v Martin, 2022 SKCA 79
The recent Saskatchewan Court of Appeal decision in Martin v Martin, 2022 SKCA 79 offers a reminder of the litigation which can ensue when a person puts another family member on title, and a dispute later arises as to whether that person holds beneficial title, or,...
Saskatchewan Estate Litigation Update: McCabe v Kowalyshyn, 2022 SKCA 56
The recent Court of Appeal decision in McCabe v Kowalyshyn, 2022 SKCA 56, offers various lessons to Estate litigators. These include: The reality that court approvals of Estate land sales, under s. 50.5 of The Administration of Estates Act, SS 1998, c A-4.1, do not...
National Post article on poorly drafted wills
A recent article from the National Post underscores how important it is to ensure that your Will is up to date and that it is well-drafted. I do not personally draft wills, as I focus on estate litigation disputes. However, I have seen firsthand that a homemade will...