Succession law explained
In the United Kingdom, s 9 of the Wills Act 1837 provides that a will must be in writing and signed in the presence of two witnesses. Witnesses to the document must not include anyone who is a beneficiary of the will or the will makers spouse or civil partner. The witnesses must attest and …
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Dr William (“Bill”) Garrett pioneered the worldwide development of diagnostic ultrasound to monitor pregnancies in the 1960’s died in November 2015. In 1957, Bill met and married his wife Nancy, whilst he was studying in England; she too graduated in medicine. They returned to Australia where they jointly specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology and where …
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Denys Wlademir Pasitschnyk (“Denys”) died in April 2016 with an estate estimated to be worth around $1 million. On September 1, 2016, Susan Coleiro entered a caveat to ensure that she would be notified prior to a grant being sealed. Susan submitted that Denys died intestate and that, she was his domestic partner at the …
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Sir Colin MacKenzie, was an Australian anatomist, benefactor, museum administrator and director who died in 1938; his wife Lady Winifred MacKenzie died on 21 February 1972. Lady Winifred Iris Evelyn MacKenzie left a will dated 4 April 1966 and codicil dated 14 February 1969 (‘the will’) establishing the Sir Colin and Lady MacKenzie Trust Fund …
Promissory Estoppel is an equitable remedy that operates where a person has acted in reliance of a promise made. Where the promisor induces the promisee to believe that certain contractual rights within their contracts will not be enforced and the promisee changes their position in reliance on that promise, the promissor will not be allowed …
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In November 1974 Richard Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan commonly known as Lord Lucan, vanished after his children’s nanny Sandra Rivett, was found bludgeoned to death, and his ex-wife was severely beaten with a lead pipe. Lord Lucan’s car was later found abandoned and bloodstained in Newhaven, East Sussex. An inquest found that Lord Lucan …
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A testator must, at the time of signing, have had an intention to putinto effect a document that comes within the definition of a will. This intention can be expressed in the document, by the commencing words: ”This is the last will and testament …”; or implied by the form of the document. Oral evidence …
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A Crisp order is a Court Order that provides an applicant with a portable life interest in particular items of estate property; allowing the applicant to use the value of specific estate assets to secure appropriate accommodation and to meet their ongoing maintenance needs. ”… such an order gives a plaintiff an interest for life …
Sydney William Templeman was a British judge. Born in March 1920, the son of a coal merchant, in 1970 Lord Templeman became Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster before being appointed a High Court judge, Chancery Division in 1972 followed by promotion to the Court of Appeal in 1978, becoming a Law Lord in …
Over the spring and summer of 2019 – 2020, Australia suffered a series of catastrophic bushfires. Millions of hectares of bushland and agricultural land were burned out. Thousands of homes and properties were destroyed. Countless animals were killed or injured. Thirty-three people throughout Australia were killed including fourteen firefighters; twenty-five people were killed in New …