Swaine v. Hackney,

• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Judge: Casey
• Neutral Citation: 2010 NSSM 83
• Subject Matter: PRACTICE,COURTS
• Citation: 2010 NSSM 83,(2010), 312 N.S.R.(2d) 21 (SmCl),312 NSR(2d) 21,(2010), 312 NSR(2d) 21 (SmCl),312 N.S.R.(2d) 21
• Date: 17 December 2010
• Court: Small Claims Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)

Swaine v. Hackney (2010), 312 N.S.R.(2d) 21 (SmCl);

    987 A.P.R. 21

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2012] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. JA.088

Rednael Swaine and Elizabeth Swaine (claimants) v. Judith Ann Hackney (defendant)

(Claim No. 10-334787; 2010 NSSM 83)

Indexed As: Swaine v. Hackney

Nova Scotia Small Claims Court

Casey, Adjudicator

December 17, 2010.

Summary:

The defendant had a 10 foot right-of-way over the claimants' property. The claimants alleged that the defendant cut down a number of trees on their property. The claimants brought a small claims action for damages. The defendant argued that the right to cut trees, as necessary, was ancillary to her right to use right-of-way.

The Nova Scotia Small Claims Court dismissed the claim for want of jurisdiction.

Courts - Topic 6204.2

Provincial courts - Nova Scotia - Small Claims Court - Jurisdiction - Land - The defendant had a 10 foot right-of-way over the claimants' property - The claimants, alleging that the defendant cut down a number of trees on their property, brought a small claims action for damages - The defendant argued that the right to cut trees, as necessary to enjoy use of the right-of-way, was ancillary to her right to use right-of-way - The Nova Scotia Small Claims Court dismissed the claim for want of jurisdiction - Section 10 of the Small Claims Court Act provided that the court had no jurisdiction over claims "for the recovery of land or an estate or interest therein" - The court had no jurisdiction over a claim involving rights ancillary to a right-of-way: "since this court would be asked to decide an issue involving a determination of the extent of the property rights of the parties in this case, this is a matter that is beyond the jurisdiction of this court".

Practice - Topic 9768

Small claims - Jurisdiction - Bars - [See Courts - Topic 6204.2 ].

Cases Noticed:

MacKay v. Dauphinee (2008), 266 N.S.R.(2d) 92; 851 A.P.R. 92; 2008 CarswellNS 312 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 15].

Emin v. Gilliatt (1976), 22 N.S.R.(2d) 595; 31 A.P.R. 595 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 18].

VanAmburg v. Halifax Condominium Corp. #267 et al. (2007), 255 N.S.R.(2d) 211; 814 A.P.R. 211 (Sm. Cl.), refd to. [para. 20].

Marier et al. v. Lalonde et al. (2007), 263 N.S.R.(2d) 34; 843 A.P.R. 34 (Sm. Cl.), dist. [para. 21].

Harrison v. Corbett et al., [2006] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 84 (Sm. Cl.), dist. [para. 22].

Gormley v. Hoyt (1982), 43 N.B.R.(2d) 75; 113 A.P.R. 75 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 30].

Kasch v. Goyan (1993), 32 R.P.R.(2d) 297 (B.C.C.A.), refd to. [para. 31].

Jones v. Prichard, [1908] 1 Ch. 630, refd to. [para. 32].

MacKenzie v. Matthews et al. (1999), 126 O.A.C. 152; 28 R.P.R.(3d) 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 34].

Carter v. Walford (2010), 292 N.S.R.(2d) 179; 925 A.P.R. 179 (S.C.), refd to. [para. 35].

Authors and Works Noticed:

MacIntosh, Charles W., Nova Scotia Real Property Practice Manual, p. 13-134 [para. 33].

Counsel:

Donald L. Pressé, for the claimants;

James D. MacNeil, for the defendant.

This matter was heard by way of written submissions before Casey, Adjudicator, of the Nova Scotia Small Claims Court, who delivered the following judgment on December 17, 2010.