Trider Estate, Re, (1978) 41 N.S.R.(2d) 663 (ProbCt)

• Judge: O Hearn, J.
• Court: Probate Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: January 25, 1978
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (1978), 41 N.S.R.(2d) 663 (ProbCt)

Trider Estate, Re (1978), 41 N.S.R.(2d) 663 (ProbCt);

    76 A.P.R. 663

MLB headnote and full text

Re Trider's Estate

(32808)

Indexed As: Trider Estate, Re

Nova Scotia Probate Court

O Hearn, J.

January 25, 1978.

Summary:

This headnote contains no summary.

Executors and Administrators - Topic 2815

Duties and powers of executors and administrators - Payment of debts - Presumption of payment of debt where creditor receives legacy - The executors appealed the decision of the Registrar, in which he allowed a claim for housekeeping and nursing services in the amount of $7,800.00 in addition to a bequest under the will - The Nova Scotia Probate Court dismissed the appeal and stated that the presumption that the legacy was given in satisfaction of the debt was rebutted, because it was not the intention of the testatrix to have the legacy set off against any award that might be made against her estate - The award of the Registrar and his subsequent determination was properly based on the law and the evidence, as well as on the terms of the will -See paragraph 26.

Courts - Topic 6125

Provincial courts - Nova Scotia - Probate Court - Jurisdiction - General - The Nova Scotia Probate Court traced the development and history of the equity jurisdiction of the Probate Court in Nova Scotia - See paragraphs 15 to 24.

Courts - Topic 6126

Provincial courts - Nova Scotia - Probate Court - Jurisdiction - Claims of creditors -The Nova Scotia Probate Court stated that the court had jurisdiction to construe a will in order to determine if a legacy was to be deducted from an award - The court stated that in order to fulfill its function in settling the claims of creditors, settling the accounts of the executor, and determining "the persons properly entitled to participate in the surplus assets and the shares which they are respectively entitled to receive", "after the settlement of the account of an executor or administrator to be distributed among the persons entitled", as provided in s. 80, and s. 81, of the Probate Act, R.S.N.S. 1967, c. 238, it was necessary to construe the will and the relevant and admissible evidence - The court stated that the matter could have been tried in the Supreme Court at the instance of the executors or any person interested, but that did not detract from the jurisdiction of the Probate Court in the absence of such an initiative taken - See paragraphs 24 to 25.

Cases Noticed:

Johnson v. Nova Scotia Trust Company and Barnhill (1974), 6 N.S.R.(2d) 111, refd to. [para. 2].

Re Lockie (1924), 27 O.W.N. 177 (C.A.), dist. [para. 5].

McGugan v. Smith (1892), 21 S.C.R. 263, dist. [para. 5].

Murdock v. West (1895), 24 S.C.R. 305, dist. [para. 5].

Lahay v. Brown (1957), 8 D.L.R.(2d) 728 (Ont. C.A.), affd. [1958] S.C.R. 240, refd to. [para. 6].

Manners v. Public Trustee, [1949] 1 Ch. 613 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 6].

Wolfe v. Olsen (1977), 22 N.S.R.(2d) 640; 31 A.P.R. 640, consd. [para. 11].

In Re Estate of Ralston (1857), 3 N.S.R. (2 Thomp.) 195, refd to. [para. 16].

Murphy v. McKinnon (1889), 21 N.S.R. 307, refd to. [para. 17].

Kerney v. Creelman (1887), 14 S.C.R. 33, refd to. [para. 17].

R. v. Foster; Estate of Esson (1897), 30 N.S.R. 1 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 19].

Estate of McDonald (1853), 2 N.S.R. (James) 123, consd. [para. 21].

Estate of McDonald (1855), 2 N.S.R. (James) 342, consd. [para. 21].

Estate of O'Sullivan (1865), 5 N.S.R. (1 Old.) 549, consd. [para. 21].

In Re Estate of Simpson (1878), 12 N.S.R. 357, consd. [para. 22].

Estate of McKay (1861), 5 N.S.R. (1 Old.) 131, consd. [para. 23].

Northrup et al. v. Cunningham (1892), 24 N.S.R. 181 (C.A.), consd. [para. 23].

In Re Estate of Murray (1889), 22 N.S.R. 125 (C.A.), consd. [para. 23].

Cotterell et al. v. Dunn (1895), 27 N.S.R. 533 (C.A.), consd. [para. 23].

Re Estate of Scott (1896), 29 N.S.R. 92, consd. [para. 23].

Re De Blois Trusts (No. 2) (1912), 8 D.L.R. 68, consd. [para. 23].

In Re Estate of Chisholm (1917), 50 N.S.R. 341 (C.A.), consd. [para. 23].

In Re Estate of Bent (1920), 53 N.S.R. 420 (C.A.), consd. [para. 23].

Statutes Noticed:

Probate Act, R.S.N.S. 1967, c. 238 [para. 10]; sect. 42 [para 12]; sect. 42(4) [para. 20]; sect. 66 [para. 20]; sect. 80 [paras. 20, 25]; sect. 81 [paras. 20, 25]; sect. 76 [para. 21].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Baily, Law of Wills (7th Ed.), p. 151 [para. 3].

Cameron, Annotation on Court Jurisdiction, 53 S.C.R. 31 [para. 18].

Hansbury, Modern Equity (9th Ed. 1979), pp. 436-437 [para. 16].

Theobald on Wills (12th Ed.), para. 1973 [para. 6].

Tristram and Coote's Probate Practice (23rd Ed. 1970), p. 5 [para. 14].

Counsel:

Peter Landry, for the Executors of the Estate of Rachael B. Trider;

Harold F. Jackson, Q.C., for Marjorie E. Weeks.

This case was heard before O HEARN, J., of the Nova Scotia Probate Court.

The decision of O HEARN, J., was delivered on January 25, 1978.