P v P [2015] EWCA Civ 447

July/August 2015 #151

A husband and wife met in 1999 and married in 2003. They had one child together, of primary school age at the time of the proceedings. In 2005 the husband and wife moved into a farmhouse owned by the husband’s parents. In 2009 the husband’s parents settled the farmhouse on a discretionary trust for the benefit of their children and remoter descendants. Subject to the power to appoint the capital and income to the discretionary beneficiaries, the farmhouse was held on trust to pay the income to the husband for life, and it was declared that the making of any land comprised within the trus...

Jopling v Leavesley & anr [2013] EWCA Civ 1605

June 2014 #140

Mr Jopling was the executor of the will of Kenneth Smith. On 6 January 2012 Mr Jopling issued proceedings against the deceased’s stepdaughter Mrs Leavesley and his niece, Mrs Thompson alleging that they had each obtained a cheque for £25,000 drawn on Mr Smith’s bank account and they between them had drawn £14,750 from ATMs by using his debit card. He alleged that these moneys had been obtained by undue influence and the estate was entitled to recover them.

In May 2012 via his solicitors he made a Part 36 offer to each of the two defendants offering to settle for £25,0...