Cripps Trust Corp v Sands [2012] EWHC 2229 (Ch)
May 2013 #129Lieutenant Colonel Sands died in 2000 leaving a will and codicil. He left a large and valuable collection of paintings and other chattels which, under clause 2 of his codicil, he gave to be held on trust by his trustee, Cripps Trust Corporation (CTC), for his wife Mrs Sands (who had passed away some time before the court case) for life and then to be divided between a class of beneficiaries that included galleries and museums. If CTC did not exercise this power the residuary beneficiaries of the will (in this case Lieutenant Colonel Sands’ grandchildren) would take the paintings an...
Day v Harris & ors [2013] EWCA Civ 191
May 2013 #129Sir Malcolm Arnold (Sir Malcolm) was married twice and had two children by his first wife, Robert Malcolm Arnold (Mr Arnold) and Katherine Louise Arnold (Miss Arnold). In June 1976, after separating from his second wife, Sir Malcolm moved to a flat in Dun Laoghaire and, in the following month, sent several boxes to Miss Arnold containing (inter alia) books, paintings, sculptures and the manuscripts of various of his compositions. At the same time he sent a postcard to Mr Arnold on which he had written ‘All the books, pictures, sculptures etc are for you and Katherine to share and k...
FHR European Ventures & ors v Mankarious & ors [2013] EWCA Civ 17
May 2013 #129The claimants (Investor Group) appealed from the decision of Simon J ([2011] EWHC 2308 (Ch)) that the Investor Group was entitled to a personal, but not a proprietary, remedy against Cedar Capital Partners LLC (Cedar). There was no appeal from Simon J’s decision that Cedar was liable to account in equity to the Investor Group.
Monte Carlo Grand Hotel in Monaco was owned by Monte Carlo Hotel SAM, a Monegasque company. The company’s share capital was owned by Monte Carlo Grand Hotel Ltd, a BVI company. In September 2004, the BVI company was interested in selling the hotel, either by...
Re Frost (dec’d) [2013] EWHC 435 (Ch)
May 2013 #129Richard Frost (the deceased) died on 4 March 2008 leaving a will dated 26 September 2007 (the will). The will bequeaths the deceased’s residuary estate on trust as to one third for each of his daughters, Linda Aylen (Linda) and Susan Frost (Susan), one sixth to his son Andrew Frost (Andrew) and one twelfth to each of Andrew’s two children. The deceased’s only asset of significant value was his property in Lewisham. He sold this shortly after making the will and realised net proceeds of £353,480. He had at that time been living with Linda for several months and continued...
Re M 12268561
May 2013 #129M was 70, lived in London and was a successful lawyer and businessman. He suffered a heart attack and then a stroke in December 2012 while abroad on business. This led to M becoming mentally incapacitated although this was not likely to be permanent. N made an application to the court to be appointed as M’s deputy. N was M’s good friend, he lived abroad and was a successful businessman. He had worked with M for many years and had assisted M for some time with the management of his business and financial affairs. N was appointed to act for M under a general power of attorney e...
Schrader v Schrader [2013] EWHC 466 (Ch)
May 2013 #129Jessica Schrader (the testatrix) died a widow aged 98. The testatrix’s two sons, the claimant (Nick) and the defendant (Bill), survived her.
By a will dated 1 October 1990 (the 1990 will), drafted by a firm of solicitors, the testatrix had made specific gifts of shares and savings bonds to her grandchildren and thereafter left her residue (on her husband having predeceased) to Nick and Bill in equal shares absolutely.
However, in or about May 2005, the testatrix suffered a fall and Nick moved into the testatrix’s property to act as her carer. On 12 April 2006, a further wil...
Re X (Trust) [2012] JRC 171
May 2013 #129The plaintiff/representors (A and B) are the principal beneficiaries of X Trust, a discretionary trust governed by the law of Jersey with the first defendant/respondent (C) being the sole trustee. There are other stipendiary beneficiaries.
It is a large trust and owns shares in a public quoted company that have plummeted in value. No claim in respect of this loss has been made. However, there are other losses totalling nearly £100m and A and B wish to bring a breach of trust claim in respect of these losses.
If A and B are successful in their claim they will not personall...
Kell v Jones & ors
April 2013 #128Mrs Joan Pittaway (the testatrix) made a will dated 15 December 2010 and died on 21 January 2011. Her will appointed Mr Kell as one of two executors.
Clause 4 of her will left pecuniary legacies to 15 named relatives and four charities (with £7500 in total left to charity). Clause 6 of the will left her residue to be paid ‘equally among such of the beneficiaries named in clause 4 as shall survive me and if more than one in equal shares’.
It was alleged that the testatrix wished her residue to be split only between family members and not the charities. The size...
Mosley v Popley [2012] EWHC 3905 (Ch)
April 2013 #128The second defendant (Mr Mosley) appealed against the judgment of Deputy Master Bartlett of 9 May 2012 dismissing his application to strike out the claim brought against him by the claimant (Mr Popley). Mr Popley’s father had caused a trust known as the Blue Ridge Trust (the trust) to be settled in St Vincent and the Grenandines. The shares in the first defendant company (Atem) were held by the third defendant corporate trustee on the terms of the trust. In 2000, Atem purchased White Owl Barn, Tenterden, Kent. Atem remained legal and beneficial owner of the property until 2011. In ...
Paynter & anr v Hinch [2013] EWHC 13 (Ch)
April 2013 #128>The defendant (Frank) obtained probate of his late mother’s will dated 26 July 2004 (Abbie and the 2004 will). The 2004 will appointed Frank sole executor of Abbie’s estate, which was bequeathed to Frank absolutely.
The claimants (Stephen and Victoria), Abbie’s other surviving children, challenged the validity of the 2004 will on the ground that their mother did not know and approve its contents. They sought revocation of the grant of probate made to Frank and a grant in solemn form of a will dated 24 January 1999 (the 1999 will), by which Abbie’s re...