Overview of the Course
This course deals with the law of wills and estates, with some consideration of the law respecting substitute decision-making. It is expected that students will leave the course with the following skills and abilities:
- Construct simple estate plans including the operation of Will-substitutes and the intestacy rules.
- Advise on the validity of Continuing Powers of Attorney and issues respecting substitute decision-making.
- Advise on the validity of Wills, including who can make a Will and in what circumstances a Will, or part of a Will, is inoperative.
- Advise on the interpretation of testamentary instruments.
- Understand how and when probate is required, the nature of estate litigation, and the intersection of the Rules of Civil Procedure and the principal succession law statutes.
- Understand the nature of the role of the Estate Trustee and the solicitor advising the Estate Trustee.
- Advise interested parties including the Estate Trustee, potential heirs, creditors, and others on probate and aspects of estate administration.
- Advise on dependant’s relief claims and spousal entitlements.
- Understand the key professional competencies and responsibilities for practice in this area.
Evaluation: 100% Open-book Final Examination
Materials: Oosterhoff on Wills, 9th Edition (Thomson Reuters, 2021)
Classes: Mondays, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Dunning 12) & Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. (Dunning 12)
TOPICS, LECTURE SCHEDULE, & READING LIST
Page numbers refer to Oosterhoff on Wills, 9th Edition
Please note that the dates below will be adjusted based on the progress we make through the materials, guest speakers, and classes used for problem questions.
January 6, 2025
I. Concepts
No reading
Overview & Understanding the Model of Law as a Whole
Professional Practice and Careers
January 8, 2025
II. Pre-Mortem: Substitute Decision-Making
Useful web resources:
Please review the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992, SO 1992, c 30 (and the MAG Guide to the SDA) and also spend a few minutes browsing the web pages of the Consent and Capacity Board, the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee with respect to its guardian services, and the provincial government respecting Capacity and Capacity Assessment (including the Guidelines for Conducting Assessments of Capacity).
Introduction: 1019-1029
Lecture Notes 1 – Intro to SDM
January 13-15, 2025
Capacity: 1030-1047
Vanier v. Vanier, 2017 ONCA 561 (Ont. C.A.)
Drewniak v Smith, 2024 MBCA 86 (Man. C.A.)
Appointment of Attorneys and Guardians: 1047-1057
Powers of Attorney Q&As – Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee
Powers and Obligations of Attorneys and Guardians: 1058-1082
Palichuk v. Palichuk, 2023 ONCA 116 (Ont. C.A.)
Lecture Notes 2 – SDM (cont’d)
January 20, 2025
III. Intestate Succession
Introduction and Devolution of Property: 71-72
Distribution on Intestacy: 73-102
Re Crane Estate, 2016 ONSC 291 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Partial Intestacy: 102-103
January 22, 2025
IV. Wills and Will-Substitutes
Nature of a Will: 113-117, 325-327
Gifts: 173-174
McNamee v. McNamee, 2011 ONCA 533 (Ont. C.A.)
Jansen v. Niels Estate, 2017 ONCA 312 (Ont. C.A.)
Morreale v. Romanino, 2017 ONCA 359 (Ont. C.A.)
Deeds and Inter Vivos Trusts: 174-176
Lecture Notes 4 – Will Substitutes
January 27, 2025
Joint Ownership: 176-179 [you may find it of assistance to read Pecore v Pecore, 2007 SCC 17 (S.C.C.)]
Jackson v. Rosenberg, 2024 ONCA 875 (Ont. C.A.)
Life Insurance: 180-183
Pensions and Beneficiary Designations: 184-198
Will Substitutes and Probate Fees: 200-204
Estate Administration Tax Act Regulation 310/14 – Information Required
Guide to the New Estate Information Return
Lecture Notes 5 – Will Substitutes (cont’d)
January 29, 2025
V. Contracts, Obligations, Mutual Wills
Promises to Make a Will: 122-128
Promises and Proprietary Estoppel: 132-134
Mutual Wills: 135-145
Nelson v. Trottier, 2019 ONSC 1657 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Lecture Notes 6 – Will-Substitutes (III); Contracts, Obligations, Mutual Wills
February 3-5, 2025
VI. Will-Making
Delegation of Testamentary Power: 155-168
Public Policy: Spence v. BMO Trust Company, 2016 ONCA 196 (Ont. C.A.)
Age Requirement: 206-207
Onus Probandi: 232-235
Suspicious Circumstances: 235-242
Knowledge and Approval: 208-211
Garwood v. Garwood, 2017 MBCA 67 (Manitoba C.A.)
Mental Capacity: 211-232, 247-251
Undue Influence and Fraud: 251-160
Pascu v. Benke, 2005 CanLII 1086 (Ont. Sup. Ct.)
February 10, 2025
VII. Formal Validity of Wills
Introduction to Formal Validity: 299
Succession Law Reform Act, s.21.1
Salmon v. Rombough, 2024 ONSC 1186 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Attested Wills: 299-323
Holograph Wills: 324
Judicial Validation: 337-339
Incorporation By Reference: 334-336
February 12, 2025
VIII. Revocation of Wills
Introduction: 359-360
By Operation of Law: 360-364
By Act of Testator: 382-393
Hayduk v. Gudz, 2022 ONSC 2249 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Conditional Revocation: 397-403
Revival of Revoked Wills: 403-405
IX. Proof of Death and Lost Wills
Proof of Death: 409-420, 422-425
Proof of Lost Wills: 427-430
Lecture Notes 9 – Revocation; Proof of Death and Lost Wills
February 24, 2025
X. Capacity of Beneficiaries
Illegitimacy: 441-448
Adoption: 451-452
Homicide: 454-463
The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company v. Rogers, 2021 ONSC 1747 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Witnesses: 470-476
Lecture Notes 10 – Capacity of Beneficiaries
February 26, 2025
XI. Rectification of Wills
Rectification: 263-269, 270-278, 279-281
McLaughlin v. McLaughlin, 2016 ONCA 899 (Ont. C.A.)
Rondel v. Robinson Estate, 2011 ONCA 493 (Ont. C.A.)
Ihnatowych Estate v. Ihnatowych, 2024 ONCA 142 (Ont. C.A.)
Re Henderson Estate, 2024 MBCA 95 (Man. C.A.)
Lecture Notes 11 – Rectification
March 5, 2025
XII. Interpretation of Wills
Jurisdiction and Judicial Function: 479-482
Jack v. Wildcat, 2024 FC 1 (Fed. Ct.) [non-examinable]
Bloom and Tupman, The Honour of the Crown and Indian succession and inheritance law in Canada- fiduciary protection or creeping re-appropriation of aboriginal property? (2016), 45 Adv. Q. 177 [background reading only; non-examinable]
General Principles and Rules of Construction: 483-506
Particular Expressions: 506-517
Partial Intestacies: 517-520
Evidence: 521-537
Drafting Errors: 539-552
Lecture Notes 12 – Interpretation
March 10, 2025
XIII. Void Conditions
Consequences of Void Conditions: 762-764
Conditions Contrary to Public Policy: 765-795
Conditions Impossible of Performance: 795-799
Uncertain Conditions: 800-805
Barsoski Estate v. Wesley, 2022 ONCA 399 (C.A.)
Lecture Notes 13 – Gifts on Condition; Introduction to Abatement and Ademption
March 12, 2025
XIV. Gifts
Subject-Matter and Types of Testamentary Gifts: 555-558, 559-570, 572-573
Abatement: 565-579
Ademption: 584-585
Date From Which Will Speaks: 588-594
Disclaimer: 630-631
March 17, 2025
XV. Lapse and Survivorship
Introduction: 643
Disposition of Lapsed Gifts: 643-647
Anti-Lapse Legislation: 648-656
Exceptions to Lapse: 657-663
Substitutionary Gifts: 666-668, 672-675
March 19, 2025
XVI. Class Gifts
Nature and Effect of a Class Gift: 685-686
Identifying Class Gifts: 686-696
Composition of the Class: 697-700
The Class Closing Rules: 701-710
XVII. Probate and Administration
Introduction and Role of the Courts: 27-33
Grants of Probate: 33-41
Estates Court Staff Procedures Manual (December, 2024)
Re James Estate, 2024 ONCA 623 (C.A.)
Law Pro Practice Tips- Wills & Estates
Lecture Notes 16 – Class Gifts; Probate
March 24, 2025
Compensation & Passing of Accounts: 54-57
Duties: 58-60
XVIII. Matrimonial Rights
The Impact of the Family Law Act on Estate Administration: 869-906
Form – Election of Surviving Spouse, per RRO 1990, Reg 368
Lecture Notes 17 – Spousal Rights under the FLA
March 27, 2025
IXX. Support of Dependents
Introduction to Dependant’s Relief: 923-939
Practice and Procedure: 940-945
Satisfaction of Support Obligations: 945-967
Property Subject of an Order: 967-980
Lecture Notes 18 – Dependant’s Support
March 31, 2025
XX. Solicitor’s Liability
Solicitors’ Duty in Taking Instructions for a Will: 989-995
Solicitors’ Duty of Care Towards Beneficiaries: 996-1014
Tessaro v. Gora, 2024 ONSC 198
Law Pro Practice Tips- Wills & Estates
Lecture Notes 19 – Solicitor’s Negligence
Review