Equity Trust (Jersey) Ltd v Halabi [2022] WTLR 55

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Spring 2023 #190

The Privy Council determined appeals from the Jersey Court of Appeal (the Jersey appeal) and from the Guernsey Court of Appeal (the Guernsey appeal) concerning the rights of indemnity of successive trustees against the assets of trusts governed by Jersey law, whose assets were insufficient to meet in full the liabilities incurred by their trustees.

The Jersey appeal

The original sole trustee of two Jersey trusts settled by the late Madam Intisar Nouri was Equity Trust (Jersey) Ltd (Equity Trust). Equity Trust was later replaced as sole trustee by Volaw Corporate Trustee L...

Rawlinson & Hunter Trustees SA v Chiddicks & ors [2022] WTLR 1475

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Winter 2022 #189

The late claimant was the settlor of eight family trusts of which Equity Trust (Jersey) Ltd was the original trustee. Two of the trusts, ZII and ZIII, both Jersey discretionary trusts, were relevant to the proceedings.

In 2006, Equity Trust retired as trustee and was replaced by Volaw Trustees Ltd. Equity Trust had the benefit of an indemnity. In 2008, a property crash led to the trusts becoming insolvent. In 2012, a company owned by ZII and in compulsory liquidation issued proceedings against its director and Equity Trust, which notified Volaw of its intention to rely on the inde...