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: Fridays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Law Building, Room 001
READING LIST
Page numbers refer to Oosterhoff on Wills, 9th Edition
September 10, 2021
I. Introduction
History, Statutes, and Terminology: 3-16, 20-21, 22-23 (non-examinable but very useful background)
Understanding the Model of Law as a Whole
Professional Practice and Careers
II. Pre-Mortem: Substitute Decision-Making
Introduction: 1019-1029
Capacity: 1030-1047
Vanier v. Vanier, 2017 ONCA 561 (Ont. C.A.)
Appointment of Attorneys and Guardians: 1047-1057
Specimen Continuing Powers of Attorney
Powers and Obligations of Attorneys and Guardians: 1058-1082
Lecture Notes (1) – Substitute Decision-Making
September 17, 2021
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
Contractual Surrender of Rights in an Intestacy: 103-106
Advancement: 106-107
IV. Wills and Will-Substitutes
Nature of a Will: 113-117, 325-327
Gifts: 173-174
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
Joint Ownership: 176-179 [you may find it of assistance to read Pecore v Pecore, 2007 SCC 17 (S.C.C.)]
Lecture Notes (2) – Intestate Succession; The Nature of a Will; ‘Will-Substitutes’
September 24, 2021
Life Insurance: 180-183
Moore v. Sweet, 2018 SCC 52 (S.C.C.)
Pensions and Beneficiary Designations: 184-198
Will Substitutes and Probate Fees: 200-204
Granovsky Estate v. Ontario, 1998 CanLII 14913 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Estate Administration Tax Act Regulation 310/14 – Information Required
Guide to the New Estate Information Return
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 (3) – ‘Will-Substitutes’ (cont’d); Promises to Make a Will; Mutual Wills
October 1, 2021
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.)
Lecture Notes (4) – Will-Making
October 8, 2021
VII. Formal Validity of Wills
Introduction to Formal Validity: 299
Attested Wills: 299-323
Holograph Wills: 324
Judicial Validation: 337-339
Incorporation By Reference: 334-336
VIII. Revocation of Wills
Introduction: 359-360
By Operation of Law: 360-364
By Act of Testator: 382-393
Conditional Revocation: 397-403
Revival of Revoked Wills: 403-405
Lecture Notes (5) – Formalities; Revocation
October 15, 2021
IX. Proof of Death and Lost Wills
Proof of Death: 409-420, 422-425
Proof of Lost Wills: 427-430
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 (6) – Proof of Death; Lost Wills; Capacity of Beneficiaries
October 22, 2021
XI. Rectification of Wills
Rectification: 263-269, 270-278, 279-281
McLauglin v. McLaughlin, 2016 ONCA 899 (Ont. C.A.)
Rondel v. Robinson Estate, 2011 ONCA 493 (Ont. C.A.)
XII. Interpretation of Wills
Jurisdiction and Judicial Function: 479-482
General Principles and Rules of Construction: 483-506
Particular Expressions: 506-517
Partial Intestacies: 517-520
Evidence: 521-537
Drafting Errors: 539-552
Daradick v. McKeand Estate, 2012 ONSC 5622 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Lecture Notes (7) – Rectification and Interpretation of Wills
October 29, 2021
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
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
Conversion: 603-608, 620
Election, Satisfaction, and Double Portions: 617-628
Campbell v. Evert, 2018 ONSC 593 (Ont. S.C.J.)
Disclaimer: 630-631
Lecture Notes (8) – Void Conditions; Types of Gifts; Ademption and Abatement
November 5, 2021
No class. Fall Term reading week.
November 12, 2021
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
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
Lecture Notes (9) – Lapse; Class Gifts
November 19, 2021
XVII. Probate and Administration
Introduction and Role of the Courts: 27-33
Grants of Probate: 33-41
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
Yamada v. Zolad, 2007 CanLII 4328 (Ont Sup Ct)
Lecture Notes (10) – Probate; Spousal Rights
November 26, 2021
XIX. 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
Dagg v. Cameron Estate, 2017 ONCA 366 (Ont. C.A.)
Habberfield v. Sciamonte, 2017 ONSC 4332 (Ont. S.C.J.)
XX. Solicitor’s Liability
Solicitors’ Duty in Taking Instructions for a Will: 989-995
Solicitors’ Duty of Care Towards Beneficiaries: 996-1014
Lecture Notes (11) -Dependant’s Support; Professional Negligence
Review.