caitebrewer Case Updates, COVID, estate administration, executors, Informal wills, Law, Probate, wills

Audio-visual witnessing of wills – Re Sheehan

Judgment was handed down this morning in what I think is the first case where the Queensland Courts have considered the COVID-19 Emergency Response Act 2020 (Qld) and the Justice Legislation (COVID-19 Emergency Response – Documents and Oaths) Regulation 2020 (Qld) for the execution of wills. Unfortunately, in the signing process, the testator missed signing … Continue reading Audio-visual witnessing of wills – Re Sheehan

caitebrewer estate administration, executors, Intestacy, Law, Legislation Updates, Probate, wills

eFiling trial starts today!!!

The Supreme Court of Queensland is today starting the live pilot trial of its new eFiling system, Objective Connect, for probate files. Certain firms, who participated in a dummy trial, will be using the eFiling system from today for their probate applications. The intention is to roll this out to all probate files, then eventually … Continue reading eFiling trial starts today!!!

caitebrewer estate administration, executors, Informal wills, Law, Probate

New Practice Direction re Informal wills and COVID-19

New PD issued by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court this afternoon in relation to informal wills executed during COVID-19. In effect, if drafted by (or witnessed by, or supervised by) a solicitor, then wills that are witnessed by 1 or 2 witnesses via video conference but not physically, may be admitted to probate … Continue reading New Practice Direction re Informal wills and COVID-19

caitebrewer Enduring Power of Attorney, estate administration, executors, Informal wills, Intestacy, Law, Legislation Updates, Probate

Electronic execution and witnessing of Wills and EPAs

An interesting article was published in The Australian today on electronic execution of documents (read it here). These times of COVID-19 restrictions have brought urgently to the forefront the need for law reform in the execution and witnessing of wills and enduring powers of attorney. Last week, the Queensland Registrar of Titles directed that for … Continue reading Electronic execution and witnessing of Wills and EPAs

caitebrewer Case Updates, Costs, estate administration, executors, Family Provision, Law, Probate, Trusts

Barring claims under s68 Trusts Act

This is a case I was involved in last month.  Judgment was given yesterday. Finnegan v Garner [2019] QSC 100 The deceased died leaving a wife and eight children (including two step-children).  He and his wife separated in 2000, but did not divorce. The estate was worth just under $1m. It was believed that the … Continue reading Barring claims under s68 Trusts Act