Estate litigation is a bit of an esoteric subject.

As a matter of substantive law, it can be frustrating for those that do not practice in this area regularly. The reason is simple enough – the underlying model of substantive law is complicated. It blends specialized probate doctrine with common law, equity (especially trusts law), and a range of specialized statutes. There is a somewhat arcane vocabulary to master, especially some very precise terms of art which permeate the jurisprudence.

As a practice area, it takes in a lot of ground. Lawyers that practice estate litigation typically deal with pre-mortem issues like substitute decision-making, probate, supervision of trustees, and a range of claims by an against Estates. Confusion awaits those that have not familiarized themselves with a number of specialized doctrines and procedures.

In this course, we will try and make sense of the model of law as a whole and explore its application in the most common types of contested proceedings.

Classes: Wednesdays from 11:30am to 2:30pm, Room 515 (Faculty of Law)

Assessment: There are two components to your final grade.

1. Students will be assigned a problem question to review with the class based on the readings assigned (25%).

2. From a choice of three scenarios, students will draft (i) a Notice of Application; (ii) A Factum; and, (iii) a draft Order – some, but by no means extensive, research will be required.(75%).

Materials: there is no book to purchase. There are a range of textbooks available to you in the law library and online for your reference. The principal statutes and regulations that we will refer to are:

The Courts of Justice Act

Rules of Civil Procedure

Succession Law Reform Act

Substitute Decisions Act, 1992

Estates Act

I.  Understanding the Area of Practice

  1. The Fiduciary Principle
  2. Substitute Decision-Making
  3. Probate
  4. Administration

Galambos v. Perez, 2009 SCC 48 (S.C.C.)

Alberta v. Elder Advocates of Alberta Society, 2011 SCC 24 (S.C.C.)

Zimmerman v. McMichael Estate, 2010 ONSC 2947 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Last v. Last, 2025 ONSC 1407 (Ont. S.C.J.)

II.  Proceedings by Application: Introduction

  1. Sources of Procedural Law
  2. Parties
    1. Interested Parties
    2. The Office of the Children’s Lawyer
    3. The Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee
  3. Limitations
  4. Pleadings
  5. Order(s) Giving Directions
  6. The Estate Trustee During Litigation
  7. Third Party Production and Examination Orders
    1. Legal / Privilege
    2. Medical / Confidentiality

Estates Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.21

Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules 7, 9, 14, 34, 37, 74, 75

Office of the Children’s Lawyer

Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee

Seepa v. Seepa, 2017 ONSC 5368 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Re Bazos, 1964 CanLII 258 (Ont. C.A.)

Geffen v. Goodman Estate, [1991] 2 SCR 353 (S.C.C.)

III.  Proceedings by Application: A More Complete Picture

  1. Costs
  2. Application and Responding Records
  3. Cross-Examination
  4. Factums
  5. Final Hearing
  6. Mediation
  7. Costs

Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules 49, 57

McDougald Estate v. Gooderham, 2005 CanLII 21091 (Ont. C.A.)

Salter v. Salter Estate, 2009 CanLII 28403 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Sawdon Estate v. Sawdon, 2014 ONCA 101 (Ont. C.A.)

Brown v. Rigsby, 2016 ONCA 521 (Ont. C.A.)

Westover Estate v. Jolicouer, 2024 ONCA 81 (Ont. C.A.)

IV.  Guardianship Litigation

  1. “Capacity”
  2. Attorneys and Guardians
  3. Section 3 Counsel
  4. Capacity Assessments
  5. Management and Guardianship Plans

Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, SO 1992, c 30

Health Care Consent Act, 1996, S.O. 1996, c. 2

A Guide to the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992 (MAG, 2021)

MAG web resources on mental capacity (including Guidelines for Conducting Assessments of Capacity)

Specimen Guardianship Plan

Specimen Management Plan

Specimen Capacity Assessment

Calvert (litigation guardian of) v. Calvert, 1997 CanLII 12096 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Abrams v. Abrams, 2008 CanLII 67884 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Palichuk v. Palichuk, 2023 ONCA 116 (Ont. C.A.)

Fisher v. Danilunas, 2025 ONSC 4359 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Scott v. Wilson, 2025 ONSC 2981 (Ont. S.C.J.) 

Rizkallah v Rizkallah, 2025 ONSC 234 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Farmer v. Farmer, 2025 ONCA 442 (Ont. C.A.)

Notes on Substitute Decision-Making

Scenario – SDM

V.  Probate Litigation

  1. Orders for Assistance
  2. Will Challenges
  3. Lost Wills
  4. Rectification

Succession Law Reform Act, RSO 1990, c S.26, Parts I and II

Rules of Civil Procedure, Rules 74 and 75

Leibel v. Leibel, 2014 ONSC 4516 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Bennett v Toronto General Trusts Corp., [1958] SCR 392 (S.C.C.).

Otis v Otis (2004), 7 E.T.R. (3d) 221 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Ettorre v. Ettore Estate, 2004 CanLII 22087 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Cooke Family Trust v. Dioguardi, 2025 ONSC 370 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Hall v. Bennett Estate, 2003 CanLII 7157 (Ont. C.A.)

Urback v. Canadian Cancer Society, 2025 ONSC 3313 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Madhani v. Fast, 2025 ONSC 4100 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Levitz v. Hillel Lodge Long Term Care Foundation, 2017 ONSC 6253 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Rondel v Robinson Estate, 2011 ONCA 493 (Ont. C.A.)

Bell v. Randell, 2024 ONCA 885 (Ont. C.A.)

Notes on Probate

Scenario – Probate

November 5 & 12, 2025

VI.  Litigation Respecting Assets 

  1. Claims in Unjust Enrichment
  2. Treatment of Joint Assets

Pecore v Pecore, 2007 SCC 17 (S.C.C.)

Qu v. Zhang, 2025 ONCA 391 (Ont. C.A.)

Re Foley, 2015 ONCA 382 (Ont. C.A.)

Andrade v. Andrade, 2016 ONCA 368 (Ont. C.A.)

Cowper‑Smith v. Morgan, 2017 SCC 61 (S.C.C.)

Schwark v. Cutting, 2010 ONCA 61 (Ont. C.A.)

Garland v. Consumer’s Gas Co., 2004 SCC 25 (S.C.C.)

Moore v. Sweet, 2018 SCC 52 (S.C.C.)

Tarantino v. Galvano (2017), 2017 ONSC 3535 (Ont. S.C.J.), appeal dismissed on other grounds, 2019 ONCA 699 (Ont. C.A.).

Ingram v. Kulynych Estate, 2024 ONCA 678 (Ont. C.A.)

Notes on Claims Against Assets

November 19 & 26, 2025

VII.  Dependant’s Support

  1. Who is a “dependant”?
  2. Interim Support
  3. Assets Chargeable for Support
  4. Priority

Succession Law Reform Act, RSO 1990, c S.26, Part V

Tataryn v. Tataryn Estate, 1994 CanLII 51 (SCC)

Cummings v. Cummings, 2004 CanLII 9339 (Ont. C.A.)

Verch Estate v. Weckwerth, 2014 ONCA 338 (Ont. C.A.)

Molodowich v. Penttinen, 1980 CanLII 1537 (Ont. Dist. Ct.)

Brash v. Zyma, 2014 ONSC 4066 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Cowderoy v. Sorkos Estate, 2014 ONCA 618 (Ont. C.A.)

Dagg v. Cameron Estate, 2017 ONCA 366 (Ont. C.A.)

Morassut v. Jaczynski Estate, 2015 ONSC 502 (Ont. Div. Ct.)

Bolte v McDonald Estate, 2023 ONSC 3429 (Ont. Div. Ct.)

December 3, 2025

VIII.  The Guardian / Trustee / Estate Trustee

  1. Removal and Replacement
  2. Passing of Accounts
  3. Breach of Trust and fiduciary duty

Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, SO 1992, c 30, Section 42(1)

Estates Act, RSO 1990, c E.2, Section 50(1)

Rules of Civil Procedure, sub-rules 74.15(1)(h) through 74.18

Trustee Act, RSO 1990, c T.23, Sections 23, 23.1, 35,  and 37

Gonder v Gonder Estate, 2010 ONCA 172 (Ont. C.A.)

Radford v. Radford Estate, 2008 CanLII 45548 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Chambers Estate v. Chambers, 2013 ONCA 511 (Ont. C.A.)

Re James Estate, 2024 ONCA 623 (Ont. C.A.)

Morrall v. Gordon, 2024 ONSC 5888 (Ont. S.C.J.)

Kasanda v. Sartarelli, 2025 ONCA 27 (Ont. C.A.)