Pankhania v Chandegra [2012] EWCA Civ 1438

January/February 2013 #126

The claimant appealed from the decision of Judge Charles Harris QC to dismiss his claim seeking an order for sale of 7 Cossington Street, Leicester (the property) and the division of the sale proceeds in equal shares between him and the defendant. A declaration had been made by the judge that beneficial ownership of the property was vested solely in the defendant, despite the property having been conveyed into the joint names of the claimant and defendant. A simultaneous express declaration of trust had been made in the transfer declaring that the parties were to hold the property as ten...

Thomas v Jeffery & ors [2012] EWCA Civ 693

January/February 2013 #126

The appellant (Richard) had successfully brought an application for reasonable financial provision from the estate of his late father. This had been initially expressed as a family provision and proprietary estoppel claim for some 50% of the deceased’s estate. The proprietary estoppel claim was dropped but the level of provision claimed under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 remained unaltered.

Richard provided little information on his financial position until directed to do so by the recorder at trial. This late disclosure proved the...

Independent Trustee Services Ltd v GP Noble Trustees Ltd & ors [2012] EWCA Civ 195

September 2012 #122

Anthony Morris (Mr Morris) orchestrated a series of frauds between August 2007 and April 2008 by which £52m was misappropriated from various occupational pension schemes by their trustees, GP Noble Trustees Ltd and BDC Trustees Ltd. The appellant was Independent Trustee Services Ltd (ITS), which had been appointed as trustee of the 1653 pension schemes by the Pensions Regulator in July 2008. Mr Morris was found liable in dishonest assistance for £52m and in knowing receipt for £4.89m by Peter Smith J in July 2010 ([2010] EWHC 1653 (Ch)) (the chancery action).

Mr Morris had married...

Drake v Harvey & ors [2011] EWCA Civ 838

November 2011 #114

Mr and Mrs H, their son A and their daughter F were partners in a partnership engaged in farming. The partnership was governed by a partnership deed dated 14 February 1989. One of the assets of the farming partnership was farmland worth approximately £5.5m. Mr and Mrs H ceased to be partners as a result of their loss of mental capacity. They have since died. A ceased to be a partner on his death and therefore F was the only surviving partner.

The partnership capital was originally divided into A and B capital and additional capital. By clause 6 of the partnership deed, A capital h...