Continue reading "Forfeiture: What relief?"
Continue reading "Forfeiture: Shades of grey"
The claimant had been convicted of the manslaughter of his mother (the deceased). He had a low IQ though there was no clear medical view that he suffered from a mental disorder. However, he had not argued that he was unfit to plead and he had not raised a defence of diminished responsibility. He was sentenced to be detained in hospital under s37 of the Mental Health Act 1983. He was detained in a medium security establishment, and it was considered unlikely that he will ever be fit for discharge.
The deceased’s house did not form part of her estate. It had ...
Continue reading "Forfeiture: Crime doesn’t pay"
Lisa Jane Clay (the deceased) and the claimant lived together from about 2003. They had a child together named Joseph, who was six years old in April 2013. From January 2013, they lived at the property at 36 Lowlands Road, Lancashire (the property) which the claimant and the deceased held as joint tenants. The deceased made a will on 18 August 2008 under which the claimant was the sole residuary beneficiary. The net value of the estate was £79,098.87 of which £60,000 comprised the deceased’s interest in the property. The couple’s relationship was at all times entirely stable,...
Continue reading "Succession: Consider what is just"
Celine Cawley, the deceased (D) and the defendant, her husband (H), owned real and personal property as joint tenants. D’s will left all her property to H and if he were to predecease her, to trustees for her children. She had one daughter. H was convicted of D’s manslaughter. Following his conviction, H expressly renounced his right to probate of D’s will. On 24 March 2010 letters of administration were granted to the plaintiffs (P), the personal representatives named in D’s will should H predecease her. By s120 of the Succession Act 1965 (the