Tag: estate litigation

Gifts Made During a Parent’s Lifetime – Why Proper Documentation is Essential for Legal Clarity and Family Harmony

In Ontario, inter vivos gifts—gifts made by a parent during their lifetime—are often made with love and good intentions. However, without proper legal documentation, these lifetime gifts can lead to serious estate disputes, misunderstandings, and costly litigation after a parent’s...

By Ines Jelic of Merovitz Potechin LLP on Monday May 5, 2025.

Gratuitous Gifts – Application of Pecore Principle Beyond Family Ties – Part 1 of 2

The legal landscape is often complex, with principles that seem specific in scope. However, sometimes these principles have far-reaching implications that extend beyond their initial context. One such example is a well-established principle from the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2007...

By of Merovitz Potechin LLP on Tuesday April 16, 2024.

The Annotated Guardianship Application 2024

In the earlier stages of my career as an estate litigator, the annotated guardianship application program, offered by the Law Society of Ontario, was one of the programs I found most useful to my practice. It contained precedents which covered...

By Yasmin M. Vinograd of Merovitz Potechin LLP on Wednesday March 13, 2024.

Do Beneficiaries Have Rights in Ontario?

Strictly speaking, beneficiaries of a deceased’s estate do not have “rights” per se.   Beneficiaries are not entitled to do any of the things that an Executor or Estate Trustee is obligated to do.  Beneficiaries are, however, entitled to an accounting...

By Merovitz Potechin on Friday July 14, 2023.

What can you do when your loved one doesn’t provide for you in their Will?

Did you know that, in certain circumstances, if your loved one doesn’t provide for you in their Will, you can make what is called a “Dependant Support Claim” against their estate? This is an exception to what is known as...

By Merovitz Potechin on Monday April 3, 2023.

Effective January 1, 2022: Changes Improving Access to Justice in Estate Matters

Further to our Estate Litigation blog posts on March 23, 2021, and May 6, 2021, outlining the steps that the Ontario government was taking to improve access to justice in estate matters, the Lieutenant Governor has proclaimed that the Schedule...

By Merovitz Potechin on Tuesday June 29, 2021.