Family Estrangement

Cutting Ties with the Family and Estrangement - Disinherited

Dysfunctional Families-Cutting Ties

I have frequently interviewed clients who told me innumerable variations of the theme that caused them to cut ties with their parents, only to be met with a memorandum in

Swingers Not In Marriage Like Relationship

CFM v GLM 2018 BCSC 815 involved a determination as to whether the claimant was a spouse as defined by section 3 of the Family Law act. In order to
Wills Variation Explained | Disinherited

Wills Variation Explained

JR v JDM 2016 BCSC 2265 explained the criteria in assessing a wills variation claim. [81] The key provision of the WVA is s. 2 ( now Section 60 WESA)
Trustees for Infants Versus Guardians

Trustees For Infants versus Guardians

Leniuk Estate 2016 BCSC 159 held that a guardian for an infant is not permitted to be appointed the trustee to receive and hold in trust on the infant’s behalf
Wills Variance and the Estranged Child

Wills Variance: The Estranged Child

J.R.v J.D.M. 2016 BCSC 2265 discusses in great detail the law and related facts of the case in a wills variance case brought by the  estranged child of the deceased. No explanation
Wills Variation: Court Criteria Between Disinherited Adult Children and Second Spouses

Wills Variation: Disinherited Adult Children vs. Second Spouse

R. (J.) v M. (JD) 2016 BCSC 2265 summarized the court criteria will consider when deciding the competing moral claim of a disinherited  adult independent child  and a second spouse
Dysfunctional Families: How to Recognize Them

Dysfunctional Families: How to Recognize Them

As a boomer growing up in the Leave it to Beaver age, it was not until I practiced estate litigation exclusively  that I learned  to recognize dysfunctional families and the mess
S. 60 WESA (Wills Variation) Explained

S. 60 WESA (Wills Variation) Explained

I was counsel for the plaintiffs in both the WESA case Brown v Pearce Estate 2014 BCSC 1402 which relied upon the law as set out in detail in McBride
Favourtism In Dysfunctional Families

Favouritism in Dysfunctional Families

While applying favouritism with children can also occur in functional families, it is often more prevalent in and  to further extremes in dysfunctional families. Favoritism has negative effects on both the favored

Wills Variation: Estranged Adult Child Awarded %40 Modest Estate

A disrespectful, estranged adult child and almost abusive,who was also virtually unemployable and living on welfare, was awarded 40% of the $50,000 estate of his mother, Bronson v Bronson Estate