Beaudoin Estate et al. v. Taylor et al.

• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Court: Supreme Court of British Columbia (Canada)
• Judge: Burnyeat, J.
• Citation: (1999), 8 B.C.T.C. 302 (SC)
• Date: 26 March 1999
• Subject Matter: WILLS

Beaudoin Estate v. Taylor (1999), 8 B.C.T.C. 302 (SC)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [1999] B.C.T.C. TBEd. MY.036

Madeline Jeanne Ball, Executrix of the Last Will and Testament of Richard David Beaudoin, Deceased and Madeline Jeanne Ball (plaintiffs) v. Joanne Taylor, Alan Beaudoin, Brine Beaudoin, Richard Beaudoin, Lawrence Beaudoin, Roslynn Beaudoin and Mary Jack (defendants)

(S050248)

Indexed As: Beaudoin Estate et al. v. Taylor et al.

British Columbia Supreme Court

New Westminster

Burnyeat, J.

April 7, 1999.

Summary:

At issue in this application was whether the deceased's will was invalid for noncompliance with the witnessing require­ments of s. 4 of the Wills Act. The deceased had not signed the will in the presence of the two witnesses. The question was whether he acknowledged his signature in their pres­ence.

The British Columbia Supreme Court held that because there was a regular attestation clause with the signature of the two witnesses under it the doctrine of omnia praesumuntur rita esse applied (i.e., pre­sumption that will duly executed and witnessed by persons who knew the require­ments of the Wills Act absent evidence to the contrary). The court held that the will was properly witnessed and valid.

Wills - Topic 1556

Preparation and execution - Attestation - Acknowledgment or making of signature by testator in presence of witnesses - See paragraphs 1 to 18.

Wills - Topic 1884

Preparation and execution - Evidence and proof - Presumption of due execution - See paragraphs 1 to 18.

Cases Noticed:

Burgoyne v. Showler (1844), 1 Rob. Eccl. 5, refd to. [para. 10].

Lloyd v. Roberts (1858), 12 Moo. P.C.C. 158, refd to. [para. 10].

Smith v. Smith (1866), L.R. 1 P. & D. 239, refd to. [para. 10].

Wright v. Sanderson (1884), 9 P.D. 149 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

Woodhouse v. Balfour (1887), 13 P.D. 2, refd to. [para. 10].

Dayman v. Dayman (1894), 71 L.T. 699, refd to. [para. 10].

Kavanagh v. Tegan, [1932] I.R. 506, refd to. [para. 10].

Falvo Estate, Re, [1945] 2 W.W.R. 449 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

Blanchard Estate, Re (1961), 30 D.L.R.(2d) 666 (P.E.I.C.A.), refd to. [para. 10].

Vinnicombe v. Butler (1864), 3 Sw. & Tr. 580, refd to. [para. 11].

Wright v. Rogers (1869), 38 L.J.P. 67, refd to. [para. 11].

Stewart v. Lees (1876), 24 Gr. 433 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 11].

Puddephatt's Goods, Re (1870), L.R. 2 P. & D. 97, refd to. [para. 11].

Harris v. Knight (1890), 15 P.D. 170, refd to. [para. 11].

Peverett's Goods, Re, [1902] P. 205, refd to. [para. 11].

Connell v. Connell (1904), 4 O.W.R. 360 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

Musgrove Estate; Davis v. Mayhew, [1927] P. 264 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

Johnson, Re, [1953] 4 D.L.R. 777 (N.B.C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

Denning, Re; Harnett v. Elliott, [1958] 2 All E.R. 1, refd to. [para. 11].

Bercovitz Estate; Canning v. Enever, [1962] 1 W.L.R. 321 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

Webb, Re; Smith v. Johnson, [1964] 1 W.L.R. 509, refd to. [para. 11].

Kane, Re (1979), 5 E.T.R. 44 (N.S. Prob. Ct.), refd to. [para. 11].

Walterhouse Estate, Re (1922), 65 D.L.R. 670 (Ont. Surr. Ct.), refd to. [para. 12].

Hudson v. Bower; Shewchuk, Re (1968) 67 W.W.R. 564, refd to. [para. 12].

Balcom Estate, Re (1975), 22 N.S.R.(2d) 707; 31 A.P.R. 707 (Prob. Ct.), refd to. [para. 12].

Hudson v. Parker (1844), 1 Rob. Eccl. 14, refd to. [para. 12].

Blake v. Knight (1843), 3 Curt. 547, refd to. [para. 13].

In The Goods of Gunstan; Blake v. Blake (1882), 7 P.D. 102 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

Daintree v. Butcher and Fasulo (1888), 13 P.D. 102 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 13].

In The Goods of Thomson (1846), 4 Notes of Cases 643, refd to. [para. 13].

In The Goods of Hare (1842), 3 Curt. 54, refd to. [para. 15].

Thomson v. Hall (1852), 2 Rob. Eccl. 426, refd to. [para. 15].

Whiting v. Turner (1903), 89 L.T. 71, refd to. [para. 15].

Coghlan, Re; Briscoe v. Broughton, [1948] 2 All E.R. 68, refd to. [para. 15].

Biggin, Re; Bake v. McGregor and Public Trustee, [1949] O.W.N. 61 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

Gow Estate, Re (1977), 9 A.R. 45 (Surr. Ct.), refd to. [para. 15].

Fischer v. Pophan (1875), L.R. 3 P. & D. 246, refd to. [para. 17].

Statutes Noticed:

Wills Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 489, sect. 4(b), sect. 4(c) [para. 8].

Counsel:

L.R.E. Taneda, for the plaintiffs;

K.J. Richardson, for the defendant, Brine Beaudoin.

This application was heard on March 26, 1999, at New Westminster, B.C., in Cham­bers, before Burnyeat, J., of the British Columbia Supreme Court, who delivered the following judgment on April 7, 1999.