Shepherd & Co Solicitors v Brealey [2023] WTLR 755

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Summer 2023 #191

The testatrix by her will appointed her brother, Mr Robin Shepherd (a solicitor), ‘and the partners at the time of my death in the firm of Shepherd and Co [being Mr Shepherd’s firm]’ as her executors. The will made no provision for remuneration of executors. Mr Shepherd’s firm (the appellant) was retained by the executors and the retainer was signed by the brother alone. Mr Shepherd did work in his capacity as executor of the estate of the deceased and the appellant rendered a bill to the estate. The testatrix’s son (the respondent) brought third-party assessment proceedings pursuant to<...

Hudson v Hathway [2023] WTLR 207

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Spring 2023 #190

After Jayne Hathaway (JH) and Lee Hudson (LH) started a relationship in 1990, JH moved into LH’s home and became a joint owner. They had two sons together but did not marry. After selling their home, they bought another in joint names. In 2007 they sold that home and, with a mortgage, bought Picnic House in joint names. The mortgage payments were made from a joint bank account, into which the salaries of them both were paid. LH’s contributions towards the mortgage payments far exceeded those of JH.

In 2009, LH left JH and moved in with another woman, whom he later married. JH cont...

Ali v Khatib & ors [2022] WTLR 811

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Autumn 2022 #188

Title to a property (the property) passed on the death of Mohammed Ali in 2003 to his wife Fateh Bibi (Mrs Bibi). Mrs Bibi died on 11 July 2006, having made a will dated 7 January 1997 (the 1997 will). Under the 1997 will, Mrs Bibi left her residuary estate in equal shares to her children: Farzand Ali, Mohammed Ramzan, Mohammed Iqbal and Parveen Iqbal. In probate proceedings brought in 2012 by Farzand in relation to Mrs Bibi’s estate, an order pronouncing in favour of the 1997 will was made on 24 January 2014 (the 2014 order). The 2014 order also pronounced against a document dated 2 Oct...

Re Clitheroe [2021] WTLR 449

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Summer 2021 #183

The claimant (C) and the defendant (D) were the surviving children of the deceased. Her other child, E, had died of cancer without children. Although the deceased had been close to D and D’s daughter, this changed after a disagreement between D and the deceased about E’s medication, when the deceased threatened that she would not forgive or speak to D again. The Deputy Master found that D was not responsible for the estrangement and that the deceased had irrationally maintained that it was D who cut her out rather than the other way around. E’s death had a profound effe...