Kuziw v. Kucheran Estate,

• Judge: Fruman, Wittmann and Costigan, JJ.A.
• Neutral Citation: 2000 ABCA 226
• Citation: 2000 ABCA 226,(2000), 266 A.R. 284 (CA),266 AR 284,89 Alta LR (3d) 232,[2000] AJ No 944 (QL),228 WAC 284,228 W.A.C. 284,(2000), 266 AR 284 (CA),[2000] A.J. No 944 (QL),266 A.R. 284
• Date: 16 August 2000
• Court: Court of Appeal (Alberta)

Kuziw v. Kucheran Estate (2000), 266 A.R. 284 (CA);

    228 W.A.C. 284

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2000] A.R. TBEd. AU.070

Anne Kuziw (applicant/appellant) v. Kay Hutscal, Executrix of the Estate of Serefima Kucheran (respondent/respondent)

(Appeal No. 9903-0255AC; 2000 ABCA 226)

Indexed As: Kuziw v. Kucheran Estate

Alberta Court of Appeal

Fruman, Wittmann and Costigan, JJ.A.

August 16, 2000.

Summary:

Kucheran died April 15, 1994, leaving his $32,000 estate to Hutscal (executrix of his estate). On April 10, 1995, the testator's daughter commenced an action under the Family Relief Act claiming to be a depend­ant. Nothing was done in the proceeding since November 21, 1995, when the daughter and Hutscal were both cross-examined on their affidavits. On April 26, 1999, the estate's motion to dismiss the action for want of prosecution was granted (rule 244) on the basis of inordinate and inexcusable delay. The daughter appealed.

The Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal. The trial judge was entitled to strike the action for want of prosecution where there was inordinate and inexcusable delay resulting in serious prejudice to the estate.

Practice - Topic 5360

Dismissal of action - Grounds - General and want of prosecution - Delay - Kuch­eran died April 15, 1994, leaving his $32,000 estate to the 72 year old Hutscal (executrix of his estate) - The monies were paid out and spent - On April 10, 1995, the testator's daughter commenced an action under the Family Relief Act claim­ing to be a dependant - Nothing was done in the proceeding since November 21, 1995, when the daughter and Hutscal were cross-examined on their affidavits (except for one response to an undertaking and an ignored settlement offer by the estate) - On April 26, 1999, the estate's motion to dismiss the action for want of prosecution was granted (rule 244) on the basis of inordinate and inexcusable delay -The Alberta Court of Appeal held that the trial judge did not err in striking the action for want of prosecution where there was inor­dinate and inexcusable delay resulting in serious prejudice to the estate - The court noted that rule 244(4) presumed or inferred serious prejudice to a defendant by the mere fact of inordinate and inex­cusable delay and that there was no evi­dence rais­ing a legitimate doubt as to the existence of serious prejudice.

Practice - Topic 5362.1

Dismissal of action - Grounds - General and want of prosecution - Inference of prejudice - [See Practice - Topic 5360 ].

Cases Noticed:

Willman v. Administrator, Motor Vehicle Accident Claims Act (1979), 17 A.R. 608; 11 Alta. L.R. 110 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 8].

Edmonton Pipe Industry Pension Plan (Trustees) v. Superintendent of Pensions (Alta.) (1991), 120 A.R. 336; 8 W.A.C. 336 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 11].

McArthur v. Taylor Estate (1990), 103 A.R. 128 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Marshall v. Fire Insurance Co. (1969), 71 W.W.R.(N.S.) 647 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Knol and Contract Catering Ltd. v. Thompson Estate and Dumont (1980), 27 A.R. 158 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Lethbridge Motors Co. et al. v. American Motors (Canada) Ltd. et al. (1987), 79 A.R. 321 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Mid-West Lumber Ltd. v. Capital City Construction Ltd. (1988), 90 A.R. 236 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 15].

Tiesmaki v. Wilson, [1972] 2 W.W.R. 214 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Starko v. Starko (1991), 80 Alta. L.R.(2d) 368 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Miller v. Duwors (1981), 63 A.R. 141 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

MacDormand v. Granger (1980), 13 Alta. L.R.(2d) 151 (Q.B. Master), refd to. [para. 15].

Oxon Development Corp. v. Curtis En­gineering & Testing Ltd. (1987), 20 C.P.C.(2d) 19 (Alta. Q.B. Master), refd to. [para. 15].

O'Hara et al. v. Wawanesa Mutual In­surance Co. (1990), 108 A.R. 308 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

Jamison v. Kruger Co. et al., [1980] A.U.D. 1087 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [para. 15].

May v. Johnston, [1964] 1 O.R. 467 (H.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

Tolly v. Morris, [1979] 1 W.L.R. 205 (C.A.), affd. [1979] 1 W.L.R. 592 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 15].

Morasch v. Alberta (2000), 250 A.R. 269; 213 W.A.C. 269 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Allen v. McAlpine (Sir Alfred) & Sons Ltd., [1968] 1 All E.R. 543 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

Mandeville v. Danforth, [2000] A.J. No. 519 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 25].

Lester Estate v. Curd Estate and Smith (1983), 46 A.R. 142 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 26].

Lachman Holdings & Management Co. v. Speakman (1983), 48 A.R. 22 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 26].

Peterka v. Nieman et al., [1998] A.R. Uned. 18 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 27].

Volk v. 331323 Alberta Ltd. et al. (1998), 212 A.R. 64; 168 W.A.C. 64 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 28].

Wallersteiner v. Moir, [1974] 3 All E.R. 217 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Clairmonte v. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, [1970] 3 O.R. 97 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 32].

Miller v. Duwors (1981), 63 A.R. 141 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 34].

Smith v. Alberta et al. (1996), 188 A.R. 159; 49 C.P.C.(3d) 94 (Q.B. Master), refd to. [para. 34].

Thorpe v. Alexander Fork Lift Trucks, [1975] 3 All E.R. 579 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 37].

Ross v. Crown Fuel Co. et al. (1963), 41 W.W.R.(N.S.) 65 (Man. C.A.), refd to. [para. 37].

Marshall v. Fire Insurance Co. of Canada et al. (1970), 71 W.W.R.(N.S.) 647 (Alta. C.A.), refd to. [para. 37].

Philipp v. Southam (1981), 9 Man.R.(2d) 413 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 43].

Andy's Cat Work Ltd. v. Twerdochlib (1994), 154 A.R. 325 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 45].

Goldford v. Golden Star Resources Ltd. (1993), 15 Alta. L.R.(3d) 21 (Q.B. Mas­ter), affd. (1994), 154 A.R. 342; 19 Alta. L.R.(3d) 65 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 53].

Biss v. Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Area Health Authority (Teach­ing), [1978] 2 All E.R. 125 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 53].

Statutes Noticed:

Rules of Court (Alta.), rule 244 [para. 16].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Canadian Bar Association, Task Force on Systems of Civil Justice (1996), gen­erally [para. 21].

Woolf, Access to Justice: Final Report by the Lord Chancellor on the Civil Justice System in England (1996), generally [para. 21].

Counsel:

E.G. Rice, for the appellant;

N.J. Mitchell, for the respondent.

This appeal was heard on June 6, 2000, before Fruman, Wittmann and Costigan, JJ.A., of the Alberta Court of Appeal.

On August 16, 2000, Wittmann, J.A., delivered the following judgment for the Court of Appeal.