Diane Vieira

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Diane has practiced in the area of estate, trust and capacity litigation since she was called to the Ontario Bar in 2006. Diane obtained her law degree from Queen’s University after completing an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto. She received the Certificate in Elder Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. She is a member of the Ontario Bar Association and the Toronto Lawyers Association. Diane has chaired various continuing legal education programs regarding estate, trust and capacity matters. She can be reached at dvieira@devrieslitigation.com More of Diane's blogs can be found at https://devrieslitigation.com/author/dvieira/

General Revocation Clause in Will was Insufficient to Revoke Beneficiary Designations

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In Alger v. Crumb, the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that a general revocation clause in a will did not revoke the testator’s TFSA and RRIF beneficiary designations. The Court concluded that under s. 51 and s. 52 of the Succession Law Reform Act (“SLRA”), the beneficiary designations have to be expressly referenced in a revocation clause and dismissed the appeal. Background The testator was survived by her four children.  Her four….

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Estate Litigation

Intestacy and Removing an Estate Trustee

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In Letourneau v Summers, the court examined the factors required to remove an estate trustee when there is an intestacy. The Applicant was the 82-year-old mother of the Deceased. She was the sole beneficiary of the Deceased’s Estate.  The Respondent was the Deceased’s brother and the Applicant’s son. The Respondent’s appointment as the estate trustee without a will was originally on consent but the Applicant quickly became disillusioned with her son’s administration….

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Estate Administration, Estate Litigation

Children are not Chattels: Who Cares for a Child when a Primary Caregiver Dies?

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In Marshall vs. Snow, the court was asked to determine who should be awarded primary custody of a minor child following the death of her mother (the child’s primary caregiver). Prior to the mother’s death, the child’s father and mother shared joint custody but not equal parenting time or decision-making rights with the mother having final decision-making authority.  The child also resided with and was close to her maternal grandparents. A….

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Guardianship

The Importance of Independent Witnesses in a Will Challenge

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Di Nunzio vs Di Nunzio reminds us of the standard of evidence required in a will challenge. The testator made a new will in 2017 (the “2017 Will’).  The 2017 Will was made while the testator was in palliative care and she retained a new lawyer to assist her to make the will. In the 2017 Will, she appoints her daughter Teresa (her primary caregiver) as her estate trustee and….

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Wills

Passing of Accounts when the Grantor is Presumed Capable

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In Winkler v. Thompson, the court considered whether a niece who held a power of attorney for property for her uncle (the “Deceased”) but insisted that she never acted in a fiduciary capacity for the Deceased should have to pass her accounts. The Deceased was survived by his estranged spouse (“Ilse”) and his niece (“Crystal”). Crystal agreed to pass her accounts when requested to by Ilse. Crystal, who held a….

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Passing Of Trustees’ and Executors’ Accounts, Power of Attorney

The Court of Appeal Considers if an Application for Retroactive Support can be brought against an Estate

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In Blacklock v. Tkacz, the Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that pursuant to section 17 of the Divorce Act, an application cannot be brought to claim or vary a child support order against a deceased’s payor’s estate if the original support order does not explicitly bind the payor’s estate. The Appellant was the ex-wife of the deceased. The parties had divorced in the late 1970s and a divorce order granted in 1978…..

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Estate Litigation
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