Blog Posts
Welcome to the Richter Trial Lawyers Blog, where we share insights, updates, and practical guidance from our legal team. Our goal is to help readers understand the latest developments in estate litigation, family law, civil disputes, and personal injury matters in British Columbia. Because the legal world changes often, we work hard to keep this page current, clear, and useful.
What You Will Find on the Richter Trial Lawyers Blog
Here, we publish articles about new decisions from the BC Supreme Court, the BC Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada. These decisions often shape how the law works in real life. As a result, our blog highlights what these rulings mean for individuals, families, and professionals.
We also write about practical issues that clients raise every day. For example, many people want to understand wills variation claims, undue influence in estate planning, time limits in family matters, or how personal injury damages are calculated. Our lawyers break down these topics in plain language so readers can feel more confident about their rights.
Who Writes Our Blog Content
The Richter Trial Lawyers Blog features posts written by members of our legal team, including our managing partner, John M. Richter. Because we appear regularly in court, we bring firsthand experience and real-world context to every article. In addition, our team aims to explain complex legal issues in a way that is straightforward and accessible.
Why Our Blog Matters
We created this blog to give readers quick access to reliable legal information. Although our posts are not legal advice, they can help you understand the issues involved in your case and prepare better questions when meeting with a lawyer. If you want more detail about any topic you see here, we invite you to explore our related practice pages or contact our office for assistance.
What we do: Document production is a key component in almost all legal cases. Your goodfirm Vancouver Family Lawyers can help you obtain documents crucial to resolving your family law matter. One recent change to disclosure obligations is the Supreme Court of British Columbia’s ruling that private and confidential journals must be handed over to the […]
Can you do your own personal injury claim? While any driver in an accident can start a claim, its wise to seek legal counsel for guidance before starting a claim to make sure you comply with the proper procedures. A failure to comply with the proper procedure can result in time being lost and witness’s […]
Your goodfirm Vancouver Personal Injury lawyer can help recover lost wages if you have been injured in an accident. A recent motor vehicle case from the Supreme Court of British Columbia shows the courts approach to determining a wage loss award and illustrates why it’s important to have good liability coverage. In Noftle v. Bartosch, 2018 […]
You Have you signed a separation agreement? Are you a parent who is now seeking retroactive child support payments and s. 7 expenses? Are you uncertain whether you can bring a claim to vary the terms of your separation agreement? The Goodfirm The Goodfirm Vancouver lawyers can assist you with varying orders and challenging family […]
The goodfirm Vancouver estate lawyers can help. Many parents leave the remainder of their estate to their children and loved ones after passing. However, where a parent or loved one transfers property to someone else before passing, any transferred assets will not form part of the estate and will pass outside the will. As a […]
If you, or your family and friends, were injured in a motor vehicle accident, you should be aware that the government of British Columbia is in the process of making significant changes to the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). While the amendments will come into force on April 1, 2019, some provisions will be […]
The Vancouver housing market is out of reach for many millennial who increasingly rely on their parents to help finance their first home purchase. In Villeneuve v. Agnew, 2018 BCSC 546, Mr. Justice Verhoeven highlighted the risks that a parent faces when helping a child purchase their first house. In Villeneuve, an ex-girlfriend filed a family law claim […]
When you help your child purchase a house, are you entitled to an interest? As house prices continue to increase in the lower mainland, parents are helping finance their children’s house purchase. Few parents and children sign agreements or seek legal advice before they begin the process and one of the consequences is that parents and children […]
On July 25, 2016, the government imposed the a new tax on foreign nationals acquiring real estate in Vancouver which required buyers to pay a 15% tax on the fair market value of the property. The tax took effect on August 2, 2016 and applied not only to purchase completing on or after that date, […]
In Layes v. Stevens, 2017 BCSC 2011, a plaintiff who rejected a formal offer to settle before trial was ordered to pay for 2/3 of the costs from the time of the offer. On the Friday eve before trial, the defendant offered $490,125.45 to settle the claim. The plaintiff went on to be successful at trial, but […]
What do you do as an excluded spouse? In Unger v. Unger Estate 2017 BCSC 1946, a testator left the residue of his estate to his children and nothing for his second wife of 34 years on account of having already transferred her a half share in the family home. The wife sought to vary the deceased’s last […]
In Bhalla Estate, 2017 BCSC 1867, a testator who did not speak English and was unable to read or write in any language executed her will on July 21, 2008 with the assistance of a lawyer and an unidentified translator. She appointed one of her three children as the executrix and left the entire estate to […]
In Nykoryak v. Anderson 2017 BCSC 1800, A 93 year old testator prepared a new will leaving his estate to two of his three children, excluding his first born and granddaughter. He passed away shortly after. The excluded child and granddaughter disputed that the deceased had the testamentary capacity to make a will and brought an application for […]
In, Re Hadley Estate, 2017 BCCA 311, the BC Court of Appeal had the first opportunity to judicially consider s. 58 of the Wills, Estates and Succession Act, S.B.C. 2009, c. 13. S. 58 of WESA allows the court to “cure” a record, document or marking on a will to make it fully effective as […]
Ms. P, executed a short will on August 18, 1988 appointing a trust company and her cousin as executor and trustee. The cousin was also the sole residual beneficiary of her estate, but passed well before Ms. P. After Ms. P’s death, a copy of the 1988 will as found and it was marked […]
Madam Justice Griffin of the BC Supreme court delivers a recent judgment regarding a contested will and marriage, reaffirming the differing legal tests for capacity to get married and make a will. In Devore-Thompson v. Poulain, 2017 BCSC 1289, an elderly woman suffering from Alzheimer’s married in 2010 and left a will in 2009. The […]
In Ratelle v. Barton 2017 BCSC 1262, a plaintiff’s motorcycle collided with a defendant’s Cadillac near Whistler. The plaintiff flew into a ditch near the road and was quite banged up. A the time of the accident, the defendant was attempting to turn left when the motorcyclist struck his car. The plaintiff maintained the Cadillac driver did […]
A recent judgment out of the Supreme Court of British Columbia by Mr. Justice Butler, sheds some more light on what makes a witness credible. Ponsart v. Kong 2017 BCSC 1126, involved a claim for injuries arising out of three car accidents. Before assessing damages and compensation, Mr. Justice Butler was tasked with determining who was at […]
A woman who claimed psychological injuries from a defective subway sandwich had her case dismissed. Ms. Chow was dining at a Subway location in Victoria when she noticed what appeared to be a small amount of blood on the bun and wrapping paper. She sued for mental distress and shock. Unfortunately, she sued the wrong […]
Can you have more than one spouse under WESA? The short answer is yes. You can have more than one spouse under the Wills, Estates and Succession Act. In, Connor Estate (Re), 2017 BCSC 978, Mr. C applied for a declaration under s. 2 of WESA that he was the spouse of the deceased in […]