Winters Estate, Re, (1999) 180 N.S.R.(2d) 388 (ProbCt)

• Judge: Hall, J.
• Court: Probate Court of Nova Scotia (Canada)
• Case Date: December 01, 1999
• Jurisdiction: Nova Scotia
• Citations: (1999), 180 N.S.R.(2d) 388 (ProbCt)

Winters Estate, Re (1999), 180 N.S.R.(2d) 388 (ProbCt);

 557 A.P.R. 388

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2000] N.S.R.(2d) TBEd. JA.008

In The Estate Of Harold Collins Winters, deceased

(No. 12,134)

Indexed As: Winters Estate, Re

Nova Scotia Probate Court

Hall, J.

December 1, 1999.

Summary:

A testamentary executor and a claimant sought costs against the estate on a solicitor and client basis respecting a claim which, in the opinion of the court, the executor ought to have settled without going to court.

The Nova Scotia Probate Court ordered that the executor bear its own solicitor and client costs. The court awarded the claimant her solicitor and client costs out of the estate.

Editor's note: See also [1999] N.S.R.(2d) Uned. 77.

Executors and Administrators - Topic 5548

Actions by and against representatives - Costs - Where payable out of the estate - The testator's mother claimed that some of the money found in the testator's safety deposit box belonged to her - The execu­tor referred the matter to the court - The court allowed the mother's claim and stated that the evidence supporting it was "over­whelming" - The executor and the mother both sought solicitor and client costs against the estate - The Nova Scotia Probate Court granted the mother her costs but ordered that the executor bear its own costs - The evidence supporting the mo­ther's money claim was so "strong and overwhelming" that there should have been no doubt about her entitlement - In failing to recognize this reality and taking the action that it did, the executor acted un­reasonably.

Cases Noticed:

Miller Estate, Re, [1938] S.C.R. 1, refd to. [para. 7].

West Estate, Re, [1942] S.C.R. 120, refd to. [para. 7]

Shaw Estate, Re, [1942] S.C.R. 513, refd to. [para. 7].

Thompson v. Lamport, [1945] S.C.R. 343, refd to. [para. 7].

St. Andrew's Wellesley Church v. Toronto-General Trusts, [1948] S.C.R. 500, refd to. [para. 7].

Diocesan Synod of Fredericton v. Perrott, [1955] S.C.R. 498, refd to. [para. 7].

Fasken Estate, Re, [1953] 2 S.C.R. 10, refd to. [para. 7].

Brewer v. McCanley, [1954] S.C.R. 645, refd to. [para. 7].

Crawford Estate, [1955] S.C.R. 184, refd to. [para. 7].

Gettas v. Karavos, [1962] S.C.R. 390, refd to. [para. 7].

National Trust v. Fleury, [1965] S.C.R. 817, refd to. [para. 7].

Lotzkar, Re (1985), 66 B.C.L.R. 265 (S.C.), consd. [para. 14].

Fraser v. Vincent (1983), 60 N.S.R.(2d) 20; 128 A.P.R. 20 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 15].

Patton v. Toronto General Trusts, [1930] A.C. 629, consd. [para. 22].

MacCulloch Estate, Re (1981), 44 N.S.R.(2d) 666; 83 A.P.R. 666 (T.D.), refd to. [para. 22].

Dagle v. Dagle Estate et al. (1990), 81 Nfld. & P.E.I.R. 245; 255 A.P.R. 245; 38 E.T.R. 164 (P.E.I.C.A.), refd to. [para. 22].

Statutes Noticed:

Probate Act, R.S.N.S. 1989, c. 359, sect. 131(1) [para. 9].

Rules of Civil Procedure (N.S.), rule 63.12 [para. 10].

Counsel:

Timothy C. Matthews, Q.C., for the Exec­utor;

Timothy Reid, for the claimant, Maud B. Winters.

This matter was heard on November 9, 1999, by Hall, J., of the Nova Scotia Probate Court.

Hall, J., delivered the following decision on December 1, 1999.