Estate Planning

Venue for Passing of Accounts Applications

By Hull & Hull LLP

In the February 2009 edition of The Probator, I reported on the decision of Brown J. in Re McMichael Estate. There, Brown J. clarified the requirement that an application for a Certificate of Appointment be filed in the court office for the county or district in which the testator was living at the time of death.

In the recent decision of Re Pearsall released May 21, 2008, (Court File No. 05-36/09, not yet reported) Brown J. offers further clarification on the issue of where applications involving estates may be commenced. 

Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Civil Procedure provides that a proceeding must be commenced at the place required by the applicable statute or Rule. If no statute or Rule applies, it may be commenced at any court office.

While the Estates Act stipulates where an application for a Certificate of Appointment must be made, no statute or Rule dictates where an application to pass accounts must be brought, whether as Estate Trustee or guardian for property.

Thus, as held by Brown J., an application to pass accounts can be brought in any county, regardless of where the Certificate of Appointment may have been issued.

Thank you for reading.

Paul Trudelle

Full post as published by Toronto Estate Law Blog on May 25, 2009 (boomark / email).