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.
British Columbia’s family law landscape continues to evolve, particularly when it comes to how the courts apply the concept of “legitimate expectations” under section 95(2)(i) of the Family Law Act. While the courts have recognized that legitimate expectations may be a relevant factor in determining whether an equal division of family property would be “significantly […]
In British Columbia, there are circumstances where an adult may no longer be able to manage their personal, medical, or financial affairs due to mental or physical incapacity. In these situations, the court can appoint a committee to make decisions on behalf of the adult. This process is governed primarily by the Patients Property Act […]
When parents are in conflict about parenting time, custody, or decision-making responsibilities, it can be difficult for the court to understand what truly serves the best interests of the child. That’s where a Section 211 Report (also known as a parental capacity assessment or child custody and access report) comes in. These reports provide the […]
Introduction Cultural traditions play a significant role in shaping family dynamics and inheritance practices across communities. For example, it’s well-known that many cultures tend to exhibit a preference for sons over daughters in various aspects of family life, including inheritance. When these traditions conflict with the principles of equality and fairness enshrined in Canadian law, […]
Richter Trial Lawyers is happy to welcome our newest addition, Emma Wright, beginning September 2023. Emma will be joining us as an articling student. Emma grew up in Ottawa, ON. She started her academic journey when she moved to London, ON, where she received her B.A. with honours at Western University. Recently, she graduated with […]
General Information Once you’ve confirmed you have the most recent will, you must confirm you’re named executor. As an executor, you must always obey the law and the terms of the will. Additionally, there can be more than one executor or administrator of the will. Essentially, your job and responsibility are to carry out the […]
Fighting over Fluffy: Who Gets to Keep the Family Pet? For many people, the family pet is considered a living breathing member of the family. In some cases they are better behaved than most family litigants. Although the Court has been known to make interim custody orders for a motorcycle (Krczizanowski v Fieseler, 2018 BCSC […]
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 […]
Between 2010 and 2014, over 81 people a year have been killed due to distracted driving. While it may seem harmless to fire off a quick text, the reality is responding to a text means your eyes are off the road for an average of 5 seconds. An accident can happen in a split second […]
In Binette v. Salmon Arm (City), 2017 BCSC 302, a women brought a suit against the city of Salmon Arm after she tripped on a metal traffic sign that was poking out the sidewalk. A crosswalk sign had been severed from its base and had remained in the sidewalk. It was later repaired sometime after […]
Spousal support orders are made on three bases: Compensatory. To compensate a spouse for their role in the relationship and sacrifices they made during the relationship for the betterment of the spouses’ lives. Non-Compensatory or Needs-Based. To ensure that one spouse does not suffer the consequences of sacrifices made during the relationship more than the […]
A recent court of appeal decision makes it clear that evidence of a full and complete gift (rather than resulting trust) does not necessarily mean a “deed of gift”. The recent court of appeal case regarding the McKendry Estate involved Mary McKendry (deceased), her 5 children (4 daughters 1 son), and the Vancouver property purchased by […]
In Andrew Peller Ltd. v. Mori Essex Nurseries Inc., 2017 BCSC 203, a BC Wine company sued an Ontario grape company alleging that they had been sold defective grape vines. As the issue was proceeding to trial, the Ontario based companies applied to court in British Columbia to transfer the proceedings to Ontario as the […]
Watch this video posted on Facebook by the Daily Mail which shows that a new car could save your life in an accident: Crashing cars What a 1997 car crash looks like compared to now! Posted by Daily Mail on Saturday, February 4, 2017 This video posted on Daily Mail’s Facebook page shows how driving […]
A recent BC case illustrates the difficulty faced by self represented litigants at trial. In Uppal v. Chung, 2017 BCSC 80, Mr. U was injured in two accidents, one of which caused serious disruption to his life. Liability was at issue in both accidents and Mr. U’s ability to receive any damages depended on establishing […]
The goodfirm ICBC lawyers want to show the consequences of failing to dispute a ticket within the required time limits. In Fraser v. British Columbia (Superintendent of Motor Vehicles), 2016 BCSC 2427, a new driver was given a 5 month driving prohibition after failing to dispute two tickets. The prohibition had severe consequences. The Tickets […]
The snow in Vancouver was responsible for over 4,300 calls to ICBC over damage and accidents from the road conditions. With roads in the lower mainland covered in slush and snow, the goodfirm ICBC car accident lawyers want to extend a warning to take extra caution on the roads this year in order to avoid […]
The goodfirm ICBC lawyers want to draw attention to a recent BC Supreme court case where a plaintiff’s failure to undergo a doctor recommended treatment program resulted in a reduction of the plaintiff’s award. In Lally v. He, 2016 BCSC 2187, a plaintiff’s award of damages was reduced for failing to attend a rehab program […]
We talk about court-ordered costs in our blog here: What are court ordered costs? The usual rule in family cases is found in Supreme Court Family Rule 16-1 where it is presumed that the costs of a family law case must be awarded to the successful party unless the court otherwise orders. Some lawyers have […]