Gillian Fournie

Total 72 Posts

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Gillian is a lawyer with de VRIES LITIGATION LLP. Her practice focuses on the area of trusts and estates litigation. More of Gillian's blogs can be found at https://devrieslitigation.com/author/gfournie/

The Role of Dockets in the Fight For Costs

Section 131 of the Courts of Justice Act, RSO 1990, c C.43, grants the court wide discretion to make an award of costs of a proceeding (or for any particular step in the proceeding). Sub-rule 57.01 of the Rules of Civil Procedure, RRO 1990, Reg 194, sets out the factors a court will consider when exercising its discretion to award costs. The Court of Appeal for Ontario provided further guidance….

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Costs

Standing to Bring a Trust Claim – When You Need to Sit Down

There are a few occasions when you want someone who is not you to have as much money as possible. The first situation is when you are a beneficiary of their estate. The second situation is when you seeking an equalization payment under the Family Law Act. In both situations, you would want the estate/your former spouse to pursue any trust claims they may have without delay. However, as the….

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Estate Litigation, Family Conflict, Resulting Trust, Separation, Spouse, Trusts

Update to Virtual Verification of Client Identity Requirements

The ability to verify a client’s identity virtually which was introduced during the pandemic will continue, with some modifications. The updated by-law 7.1, which comes into effect in 2024, will allow a lawyer to verify a client’s identity virtually by using technology to confirm that the government-issued photo identification is valid and matches the client…..

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Practice Management, Retainer Agreement

Right of Survivorship or Severance of a Joint Tenancy… Which One Prevails?

Today’s blog was written by Jonathon Vander Zee, student-at-law at de VRIES LITIGATION LLP What happens when the right of survivorship in a property is gifted, but the donor then severs the joint tenancy of that same property? This was exactly the case in Jackson v. Rosenberg, 2023 ONSC 4403. The answer is quite riveting: the severance of the joint tenancy only eliminated the right of survivorship in the donor’s….

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Uncategorized

Brampton’s Civil Court Procedure – An Update

The Superior Court of Justice issued a new Consolidated Civil Provincial Practice Direction for all civil proceedings effective as of June 15, 2023. In addition, the Brampton court office has adopted new procedures for civil matters designed to lead to a more effective use of court time and resources…..

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Courts, Estate Litigation, Practice Management

Declaratory Relief – Not Always Available

Declaratory Relief Defined It is well understood that a court can order a party to do something or order a party to refrain from doing something. Another power of the court is its ability to make declarations. The Court of Appeal for Ontario defined a declaratory judgment in Bryton Capital Corp. GP Ltd. v CIM Bayview Creek Inc., 2023 ONCA 363, as follows: “a formal statement by a court pronouncing….

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Appeals, Contracts, Courts, Estate Administration, Executors, Fiduciary Professions, Trustee
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