A child’s relationship with their parents is complicated. If a child is in extended society care, previously known as being a Crown ward, that’s probably an understatement. But what happens in the unfortunate situation that a child under society care passes away? Nobody likes to contemplate the death of a…
This Blog was written by Lara Besharat Throughout the last year and a half, the pandemic, and the precarious nature of our collective health, has rested firmly at the forefront of everyone’s minds. This has led to a significant increase in estate planning. However, for many, there is still one…
Introduction Last year, I wrote a blog post about estate planning for tattoo artists, which focused primarily on the intellectual property rights of tattoo artists in their tattoo designs and the ways in which such rights conflict with the rights of the people who actually bear such designs on their…
As someone who has been around the life insurance industry in a professional and personal capacity for several decades, I am always curious about what motivates people to buy or not buy life insurance. I understand that few people spend time thinking about the consequences of low-probability events and are…
Unhappily, it is not uncommon for family members to be at loggerheads as to who controls the body of a loved one and whether the body should be cremated or buried. I previously blogged on the 2018 case Miller v. Miller, a decision by Justice Myers of the ONSC, which…
It is never easy when a loved one dies. Only adding to one’s grief is the fact that the administrative tasks to deal with a death can be complicated. There is any number of loose-ends to address and specific steps to take to bring finality to a life well-lived.
Reading my colleague Diana’s blog of a few weeks ago, ‘Whose Land Is It Anyways’ , reminded me of my friend’s current challenge. She owns a lovely piece of prime real estate in a prestigious and sought-after location in mid-town Toronto (off Yonge Street) with a great view! Sounds…
“He knows where the bodies are buried” is a throwaway line from Orson Wells’ cinematic masterpiece, Citizen Kane. That line soon took on a life of its own and entered the cultural vernacular. In the world of estates, a more frequent problem is not finding the bodies but deciding where…
As a law student, my trust law professor brought in a “dead hand” to help us remember the rule against perpetuities. The prop was effective: I have not forgotten that the rule stops trust property from being governed indefinitely from “beyond the grave.” While principles of trust law helpfully prevent…
A long time client of ours passed away last week. She was able to remain at her own home and die in her own bed. So many of us wish, when the time comes, that we could do the same. We know this is not the ending place that most…
