Scholz v. Scholz, (2013) 340 B.C.A.C. 151 (CA)

• Judge: Levine, Kirkpatrick and Neilson, JJ.A.
• Court: Court of Appeal (British Columbia)
• Case Date: April 08, 2013
• Jurisdiction: British Columbia
• Citations: (2013), 340 B.C.A.C. 151 (CA);2013 BCCA 309

Scholz v. Scholz (2013), 340 B.C.A.C. 151 (CA);

    579 W.A.C. 151

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2013] B.C.A.C. TBEd. JL.011

Ruth Hertha Wanda Scholz (appellant/plaintiff) v. Michael Curt Scholz and Carolyn Kathleen Scholz (respondents/defendants)

(CA040190; 2013 BCCA 309)

Indexed As: Scholz v. Scholz

British Columbia Court of Appeal

Levine, Kirkpatrick and Neilson, JJ.A.

June 28, 2013.

Summary:

In 2001, Scholz and his wife (defendants), invited Scholz's mother (the plaintiff), to build a coach house on their property in Vancouver. The plaintiff lived in the coach house from 2001 to 2011, when the defendants sold the property. When the defendants refused to share the sale proceeds with the plaintiff in recognition of her contribution to the coach house, the plaintiff sued the defendants claiming a beneficial interest in the property. A summary trial ensued.

The British Columbia Supreme Court, in a decision reported [2012] B.C.T.C. Uned. 1172, rejected the plaintiff's claims in resulting trust, constructive trust, and proprietary estoppel, but awarded her damages of $36,576, representing the depreciated value of the coach house over the years of her residency. The plaintiff appealed.

The British Columbia Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Estoppel - Topic 1324

Estoppel in pais (by conduct) - Acquiescence - Proprietary estoppel - See paragraphs 30 to 34.

Family Law - Topic 6

General principles - Property transactions between family members (i.e., where circumstances establish family relationship with intended consequences) - See paragraphs 35 to 42.

Trusts - Topic 1907

Resulting trusts - General principles - Circumstances when not imposed - See paragraphs 20 to 23.

Trusts - Topic 2310

Constructive trusts - General principles - Circumstances when not imposed - See paragraphs 24 to 29.

Cases Noticed:

Hardwick v. Johnson, [1978] 2 All E.R. 935; [1978] 1 W.L.R. 683 (C.A.), appld. [para. 12].

Hussey v. Palmer, [1972] 3 All E.R. 744; [1972] 1 W.L.R. 1286 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 17].

Housen v. Nikolaisen et al. (2002), 286 N.R. 1; 219 Sask.R. 1; 272 W.A.C. 1; 2002 SCC 33, refd to. [para. 19].

Kerr v. Baranow, [2011] 1 S.C.R. 269; 411 N.R. 200; 300 B.C.A.C. 1; 509 W.A.C. 1; 274 O.A.C. 1; 2011 SCC 10, refd to. [para. 20].

Wilson v. Fotsch (2010), 286 B.C.A.C. 276; 484 W.A.C. 276; 2010 BCCA 226, refd to. [para. 24].

Soulos v. Korkontzilas et al., [1997] 2 S.C.R. 217; 212 N.R. 1; 100 O.A.C. 241; 146 D.L.R.(4th) 214, refd to. [para. 25].

Sharpe (Bankrupt), Re, [1980] 1 W.L.R. 219; [1980] 1 All E.R. 198, refd to. [para. 30].

Trethewey-Edge (Dyking District) v. Coniagas Ranches Ltd. et al. (2003), 180 B.C.A.C. 258; 297 W.A.C. 258; 224 D.L.R.(4th) 611; 2003 BCCA 197, refd to. [para. 31].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Waters, Donovan W.M., Gillen, Mark R., and Smith, Lionel D., Waters' Law of Trusts in Canada (4th Ed. 2012), pp. 21, 394 to 400 [para. 20]; 489 to 499 [para. 25].

Counsel:

L.I. Barron, for the appellant;

P.J. Reardon, for the respondents.

This appeal was heard on April 8, 2013, in Vancouver, B.C., before Levine, Kirkpatrick and Neilson, JJ.A., of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. The following decision was delivered for the court by Neilson, J.A., on June 28, 2013.