In an effort to encourage Ontarians to think ahead and create Power of Attorneys, the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (OPGT) recently launched a video series all about Power of Attorney documents and their use. This new video series aims to increase awareness about Powers of Attorney, including the basics of what they […]
Launching a lawsuit and deciding to proceed with litigation is a big decision which requires thought and attention. One of the first matters to consider is who is going to be named as a respondent or defendant to a proceeding. In estates litigation, generally, any individual or entity with a financial interest in an estate
In nearly every lawsuit, opposing parties put forward different versions of events. After listening to the conflicting evidence, the judge has to make a decision about what really happened. The judge’s determination often hinges on an assessment of the reliability and credibility of the witnesses. Deciding whether a witness is reliable and credible is not
At the outset, there can be a lot of mystery surrounding estate litigation. Every person involved likely has a different story, and will reveal previously unknown information as matters progress and affidavits are exchanged. As new facts emerge over the course of litigation, a party may discover new claims arising from the same series of
In estate litigation, affidavits are a common and crucial source of evidence. On occasion, one party may take issue with an opposing party’s affidavit evidence. When this happens, the usual course of action is to challenge the admissibility of the affidavit evidence at trial or during the main hearing. However, in some circumstances, it may
