Witten, Vogel, Binder & Lyons v. Leung, Harwardt and MacPherson, (1983) 46 A.R. 53 (QB)

• Judge: McDonald, J.
• Court: Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta (Canada)
• Case Date: May 02, 1983
• Citations: (1983), 46 A.R. 53 (QB);1983 CanLII 1028 (AB QB);148 DLR (3d) 418;25 Alta LR (2d) 257;46 AR 53;[1983] CarswellAlta 57

Witten, Vogel, Binder v. Leung, Harwardt (1983), 46 A.R. 53 (QB)

MLB headnote and full text

Witten, Vogel, Binder & Lyons v. Leung, Harwardt and MacPherson

(No. 8303 10424)

Indexed As: Witten, Vogel, Binder & Lyons v. Leung, Harwardt and MacPherson

Alberta Court of Queen's Bench

Judicial District of Edmonton

McDonald, J.

May 2, 1983.

Summary:

A law firm delivered documents to another law firm, subject to certain trust conditions. The defendant law firm refused to return the documents on the instructions of their client. The plaintiff law firm brought an action for a mandatory injunction ordering the return of the documents.

The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench allowed the action and ordered the documents returned.

Barristers and Solicitors - Topic 4106

Relations with other lawyers - Delivery of documents - In trust - Return of - A law firm delivered documents to another law firm, subject to certain trust conditions - On instructions from their client the defendant law firm refused to return the documents - The plaintiff law firm sought a mandatory injunction ordering the return of the documents - The Alberta Court of Queen's Bench ordered the documents returned, holding that a solicitor's duty to comply with the conditions of documents held in trust was equated with a solicitor's duty to comply with his undertakings - See paragraphs 9 to 19.

Cases Noticed:

Re Hilliard (1845), 2 Dow. & L. 919; 67 Rev. R. 880, refd to. [para. 10].

United Mining and Finance Corp. Ltd. v. Becher, [1910] 2 K.B. 296, refd to. [paras. 10, 11].

Re Williams v. Swan & Gray Coach Lines, [1942] 4 D.L.R. 488, refd to. [para. 12].

Hardtman & Strack Ltd. v. Farr (1974), 49 D.L.R.(3d) 359 (Ont. H.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

Bank of British Columbia v. Mutrie (1979), 108 D.L.R.(3d) 170 (B.C.S.C.), reversed [1981] 2 W.W.R. 351 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Cordery on Solicitors (5th Ed.), pp. 159-160 [para. 13].

Halsbury's Laws of England (3rd Ed.), vol. 36, para. 266, pp. 195-196 [para. 14].

Counsel:

P.M. Owne, Q.C., for the plaintiffs;

J.P. Brumlik, Q.C., for the defendants;

G.B. Davison, for Glenbrook Developers Limited.

This case was heard before McDONALD, J., of the Alberta Court of Queen's Bench, who delivered the following judgment on May 2, 1983.