Wormald N.O. v Woollgar & others (773/2020)
Wormald N.O. v Woollgar & others (773/2020) [2021] ZAECGHC 51 (30 March 2021)
The court held that the phrase 'the lawfully wedded spouse' in the Neville Woollgar Family Trust deed must be interpreted in its proper context, considering the circumstances at the time of the trust's establishment. The founder was married to Lynette Woollgar, and the trust was intended to benefit the family unit as it existed then. There was no evidence that the founder contemplated divorce or remarriage. The subsequent conduct, including the 2016 resolution and payments to Lynette after divorce, supported the respondents' interpretation that only Lynette was intended as the 'lawfully wedde…
Source excerpt
- Trust Deed Interpretation
- Beneficiary Status
- Contractual Construction
- Subsequent Conduct
- Parol Evidence Rule