While the right of survivorship is often thought of as the defining characteristic of joint tenancy, joint tenancy is also defined by “four unities.” Justice Perell succinctly defined the “four unities” in Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Company v Muir, 2011 ONSC 2273: A joint tenancy is distinguished by what are…
Current approaches that define capacity in cognitive terms disregard concerns that emotional instability may disrupt capacity or that a person may be cognitively intact yet lack the capacity to give a valid consent. An alternative evaluative approach would be to view capacity holistically, as a combination of biological, psychological, and social (biopsychosocial) factors.
May is National Caregiver Awareness Month and it is celebrated across Canada to acknowledge the 8 million people providing (unpaid) care to a family member or friend which is about 28% of the population. For employed Canadian’s, 35 % are working caregivers. Studies tell us that on top of a…
This blog has been written by Sandra Arsenault, Law Clerk at Fasken LLP Welcome back! This is Part 2 of a two-part series on unusual assets and estate administration. For part one, please see my blog post here. Typical assets in an estate consist of real property, automobiles, corporations, investments,…
I’m nerdy about my fair share of things. Star Wars isn’t one of them. But this is an estates blog and arrangements need to be made to take care of Baby Yoda should anything happen. Truth is, whenever the AAE schedule comes out, the first thing I do is sign…
Determining proper support in dependants’ relief claims is notoriously difficult and highly fact-driven. A recent decision of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice is a helpful summary of the applicable law in dependants’ relief claims. It also includes an analysis of why the deceased’s framework and structure for her son’s…