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When a Business Succession Agreement is not enough to deal with the death of a business partner business business agreement deceased estate estate planning Nov 29, 2024

Iron Horse Machines Pty Ltd v Olmate Holdings Pty Ltd [2024] WASC 383

The dispute between Iron Horse Machines Pty Ltd and Olmate Holdings Pty Ltd arises from the breakdown of a long-standing business partnership between two long-time friends, Mr James Cross and the late...

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Instructing an expert in an estate challenge - lessons from the Green case capacity deceased estate estate estate planning supreme court Nov 20, 2024

Complexities can arise in disputes over wills and estate management, particularly when questions of testamentary capacity and undue influence are at the heart of the proceedings. In reviewing the recent Supreme Court case of Green v Green [2024] NSWSC 1442 below, we will explore the...

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Legal Issues Arising from Powers of Attorney: Key Case Insights estate estate planning estates power of attorney Nov 13, 2024

Powers of Attorney are legal instruments that allow an individual (the principal) to appoint another person (the attorney) to manage their financial and legal affairs. While the Power of Attorney is a vital tool for estate planning, its misuse can lead to significant legal disputes. This blog...

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The complexity of interpreting Wills and the case of the unborn nephew beneficiaries deceased estate estate planning estates supreme court Apr 30, 2024

There is a concept called "testamentary freedom" -  a will-maker has the freedom to draft a document leaving their estate to whomever they wish. However, the document needs to be drafted so that it correctly reflects the will-maker's wishes, and when terms such as "survives me" and "it...

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The power of section 100 statements: exploring the testator's choices in estate planning estate planning estates family provision succession act supreme court Apr 10, 2023

 When a person creates a will, they have the power to decide who will inherit their property and assets after they pass away. In some cases, a testator may choose to exclude a child from their will, and in such cases, they may choose to include a statement explaining the reasons why the...

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Who is a "child" when planning your estate? estate planning estates family provision succession act Dec 07, 2022

In a modern society where dynamic family structures are becoming more prevalent and varying methods of contraception are widely accessible, it follows that the legal definition of a 'child' has broadened significantly. Where 'child' was previously considered as only biological, the definition has...

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Attempting to sever a joint tenancy by relying on a Power of Attorney estate planning estates power of attorney property real property act Nov 10, 2022

If you are appointed as a substitute attorney under a Power of Attorney, ensure that you are validly entitled to act if the first appointed attorney is unable or unwilling to so act, and that you are acting within the scope of your designed power.  These issues, and more, were...

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Acting under a Power of Attorney estate planning estates power of attorney real property act Nov 13, 2020

The Equity Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court handed down a decision on 23 October 2020 in relation to legal issues in the areas of Estate Law and Property Law. Several properties which are of importance in the case are located in the Sutherland Shire.

Guirguis v Girgis [2020] NSWSC 1468 (23...

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Statutory wills - for when testamentary capacity is lacking capacity estate planning estates family provision intestacy statutory will succession act supreme court wills Sep 08, 2020

Division 2 (in particular, section 18) of the Succession Act 2006(NSW) allows the Court to authorise wills to be made, altered or revoked for persons who do not have testamentary capacity , whilst they are still alive (s18(3)) – this includes a minor who does not have the capacity...

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Life estates and will disputes contested will estate planning estates family provision probate wills Jun 24, 2020

Overview

Wills and Estates can be a particularly complex area of law, especially where multiple family provision claims are being made.  In the case of Ng v Lau; In the Estate of Ken Kui Yuen Lau [2020] NSWSC 713, a number of issues were raised including two family provision...

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Disputing a burial plot licence contract law deceased estate equitable estoppel estate planning estates Apr 15, 2020

Case:

Kovac v Chanak [2017] NSWSC 1023 (31 July 2017)

This matter relates to the burial of “Jovan Kovac” in plot #33 at Mona Vale Cemetery in June 2012.  At the time, the burial took place with the consent of the deceased’s cousin (the defendant in these proceedings),...

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What will be accepted as an Informal Will? estate planning estates informal wills wills Feb 14, 2020

We often hear people say “I’ve been putting off my will for such a long time!” But what happens if you put it off for too long and you don’t have the opportunity to have your will prepared by a solicitor, or even if you write your own Will without the benefit of obtaining...

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