England and Wales Case Law

M K v S K

The court found H had not been truthful and had access to undisclosed assets via the A Trust, B Trust, or other structures. The A Trust is a resource available to H, and the trustees would act on his direction. Given incomplete evidence on the Group's value and H's non-disclosure, the court resolved the case by reference to W's needs, awarding her the house, payment of debts, and a capitalised lump sum for income needs.

Source excerpt

• Financial remedies
• Non-disclosure
• Trusts
• Needs principle
• Clean break
• Matrimonial causes act 1973

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Galina Ivanovna Zhuravleva v Ioulia Fedikhanovna Kamalova

The High Court held that service on the defendant in Spain was valid, or alternatively retrospectively validated as good service under CPR 6.15(2).

• Service out of jurisdiction
• Hague service convention
• Limitation
• Civil restraint orders
• Enforcement of tribunal decisions
• Service-out-of-jurisdiction

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Nicholas William Nicholson & Anor v Insolvency Practitioners Association & Ors

The High Court held that the IPA held IP bond claim rights on trust for insolvency estates and that section 234 could require transfer of those rights.

• Express trust creation
• Implied terms
• Public vs private functions
• Assignment of claim rights
• Section 234 insolvency act 1986
• Insolvency

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Woolfson v Woolfson & Ors

Woolfson v Woolfson & Ors [2026] EWHC 613 (Ch) (20 March 2026)

The High Court struck out a probate and trust claim brought by Karen Woolfson and granted summary judgment for the defendants, admitting the Second June 2018 Will to probate.

• Validity of wills
• Testamentary capacity
• Undue influence
• Strike out applications
• Summary judgment
• Breach of trust

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Stein v Jaffe

Stein v Jaffe [2026] EWHC 559 (Ch) (13 March 2026)

Costs judgment in a trust dispute: the claimant was ordered to pay the defendant’s costs, with a 10% reduction for trial preparation and trial stages.

• Costs
• Breach of trust
• Interest on costs
• Disclosure
• Pre-action conduct
• Interest-on-costs

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MK v SK (Rev1)

MK v SK (Rev1) [2026] EWFC 28 (11 February 2026)

In this financial remedy case, the court found the husband had hidden assets through trusts and structures, drew adverse inferences for non-disclosure, and awarded the wife needs-based relief.

• Financial remedies
• Non-disclosure
• Trusts
• Asset division
• Matrimonial causes act 1973
• Adverse inferences

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Cator & Ors v Thynn & Anor

Cator & Ors v Thynn & Anor [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch) (06 February 2026)

The High Court approved joinder of an independent solicitor as a representative defendant in a trustee application concerning a power of advancement and donor-beneficiary interests.

• Trustee powers
• Representation orders
• Advancement of beneficiaries
• Issue estoppel
• Court approval of trustee decisions
• Trusts

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Dorothy House & Anor v Anne Elizabeth Helme & Anor

The High Court removed two executors for delay, conflicts and poor estate administration, and ordered indemnity costs against them without estate indemnity.

• Removal of personal representatives
• Executor duties
• Conflict of interest
• Indemnity for legal costs
• Delay in estate administration
• Costs orders

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SM v BA & Anor (No. 3: Amendments to Statement of Case)

SM v BA & Anor (No. 3: Amendments to Statement of Case) [2026] EWFC 9 (14 January 2026)

The Family Court refused a very late application to amend points of claim and add witness evidence in a beneficial ownership dispute over property DC.

• Amendment of pleadings
• Beneficial ownership of property
• Trusts
• Constructive trust
• Proprietary estoppel
• Undue influence

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Stuart John Pilbrow v Nicola Jane Eileen Glanville & Anor

The Upper Tribunal set aside the FTT’s no-order costs decision after finding the respondents unreasonably withheld a trust defence that defeated the adverse possession claim.

• Adverse possession
• Costs
• Trusts
• Land registration
• Adverse-possession
• Land-registration

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