Committees in BC – Orders Requiring Unwilling Adults Examined to Determine Capacity

In British Columbia, the Patients Property Act allows a person to apply to Court for a declaratory Order that another adult person is incapable of managing his or her affairs. Such incapacity may be due to mental infirmity arising from disease, age or otherwise, or disorder or disability of mind arising from the use of drugs. To succeed, the applicant must submit to the Court affidavits from two medical practitioners providing opinions that the person who is the subject of the application is incapable of managing his or her affairs.

If the Court is satisfied by the two affidavits and any other evidence, the applicant or someone else will be appointed “committee” to make decisions on behalf of the person, now referred to as the “patient”, concerning his or her financial and estate affairs or person or both. Also, a person   who has been subject to examination at a Provincial mental health facility or psychiatric unit may become a “patient” if the Director signs a Certificate of Incapability. For example, in Johnston Estate v. Johnston, 2019 BCSC 2149, the patient was willingly examined at a psychiatric unit and the Public Guardian and Trustee was appointed committee of his financial and legal affairs. When a committee is appointed, powers of attorney and representation agreements previously signed by the patient are suspended.

What If the Person Does Not Co-operate?

For many years it was accepted that the Patients Property Act did not give the Court jurisdiction to order a medical examination before two medical affidavits had been produced. In other words, if the proposed patient would not co-operate and agree to be examined, the applicant was out of luck. Then in 2012 the door was opened to ordering an adult person to attend for medical examinations for the purposes of the Patients Property Act in appropriate circumstances.

In Temoin v Martin, 2011 BCSC 1727, the Court addressed a situation where the elderly businessman who was the subject of the application refused to be examined by two medical practitioners and the applicant, his daughter, was unable to obtain the necessary affidavits. The daughter argued that there was an inadvertent gap in the legislative scheme, namely that there was no statutory means by which a court could compel an individual to undergo the necessary medical assessments to determine capacity. She relied on Supreme Court of Canada judgements saying the Court had inherent discretionary jurisdiction, which was not derived from a statute, to make orders to protect the interests of children and vulnerable adults.

The judge agreed that if there was prima facie proof of incompetence and a compelling need for protection the inherent jurisdiction would extend to ordering a person to attend for medical examination, but Temoin was not such a case. The Court of Appeal agreed: 2012 BCCA 250, pointing out that the starting point for such an application was the presumption of capacity of the person to be protected, the importance of the Charter values of liberty, autonomy, and equality, while emphasizing that the inherent jurisdiction must be used cautiously and only for the benefit of the person to be protected, and not for anyone else. The daughter’s motive of trying to gather evidence with which to attack her father’s recent estate planning was a relevant consideration when assessing her evidence. In cases of this kind, the applicant must present evidence establishing a serious question to be tried, both as to the capacity of the individual and his or her need for protection.

After Temoin, applications were made to compel unwilling adults to undergo mental capacity testing but none were successful until 2017 when the case of Singh (Re) became the first successful Temoin application: 2017 BCSC 984. In the Singh case, unlike in Temoin, the judge was satisfied that a medical opinion from the family doctor and evidence of questionable financial dealings raised serious questions as to both mental capacity and the need for protection, so the order was made.

So far, there have been no other reports of successful Temoin applications. Thus, while the door has opened to ordering an adult person to attend for medical examinations for the purposes of the Patients Property Act, it is not wide open. Nevertheless, Singh demonstrates that such orders are available if the applicant is able to present the right kind of evidence, even over the objections of the person to be protected and anyone else who opposes. Hopefully, this will provide helpful guidance for families struggling to deal with uncooperative or alienated loved ones who refuse the medical examinations needed so orders to protect them can be obtained.

Estate Plans and Fraudulent Conveyances

What is a Fraudulent Conveyance?

For more than four centuries there have been restrictions on the ability to dispose of property to delay, hinder or defraud creditors and others of their just and lawful remedies. This began in 1571 in England with the Statute of Elizabeth and they are now encapsulated in the Fraudulent Conveyance Act, RSBC 1996, c. 163 (the “FCA”) in British Columbia and across Canada in similar legislation. All such dispositions or transfers by any method are void against any person or the person’s assignee or personal representative whose rights are adversely affected by the transaction. An exception exists for transfers of property for valuable consideration and without knowledge of the collusion or fraud of the transferor.

The absence of lying or deceit does not absolve a defendant from a claim of fraudulent      conveyance. The only intent necessary to void transactions under the modern FCA is the intent to put assets out of the reach of creditors and potential creditors. No further dishonest or morally blameworthy intent is required.

Does the FCA Apply in the Context of Estate Matters?

Transactions commonly carried out for estate planning purposes, such as gifts and the settling of trusts and transfers of property into joint tenancy may be caught by the FCA. For example, an estate plan whereby real property was transferred into joint tenancy and a trust was created to   hold other assets was cancelled because it had been made for an improper purpose: Antrobus v Antrobus, 2009 BCSC 1341. Similarly, a terminally sick wife’s transfer of her property into joint tenancy with her husband to avoid the claims of her creditors was a fraudulent conveyance: Vancouver Coastal Health Authority v. Moscipan, 2019 BCCA 17.

Creditors and Others

The term “creditors and others” includes present creditors, future creditors and those who might become creditors of a debtor. A plaintiff seeking an order reversing a transfer does not need to show that he or she was a creditor of the transferor at the time of the transaction. It is sufficient if the possible claim was within the contemplation of the transferor: Abakhan & Associates Inc. v. Braydon Investments Ltd, 2008 BCSC 1547; aff’d 2009 BCCA 521.

However, for the purposes of the FCA, a possible claim does not include a claim against the estate of the transferor pursuant to the Wills Estates and Succession Act, SBC 2009, c. 13, (“WESA”). Such will variation claims do not satisfy the test because they do not arise until after the death of the transferor. To be able to use the FCA to successfully attack a transfer, a spouse or child of the transferor must have had a legal or equitable claim against the transferor during his or her lifetime, and the claim must not be trivial: Mawdsley v Meshen, 2010 BCSC 1099; 2012 BCCA 91.For example, in Antrobus the plaintiff had an unjust enrichment claim against her parents while they were alive based on her long-time services to them and their promises that she would receive their estate.

FCA Claim Made to Replenish the Estate

If a spouse or child establishes that a transfer by his or her spouse or parent was a fraudulent conveyance, the asset may be available to satisfy a wills variation claim against the transferor’s estate pursuant to WESA. In effect, the estate will be replenished with the asset which had been fraudulently conveyed away. However, to repeat, this only applies when the FCA claim has the essential foundation of a legal or equitable claim against the transferor existing during his or her lifetime.

Intention and the Badges of Fraud

The crux of a fraudulent conveyance claim is often the intention of the transferor when making the transaction. Estate planning transactions, including settling trusts and transferring assets to the trustee, transferring assets into joint tenancy or into a corporation as part of an estate freeze, and other gifting, are recognized as legitimate transactions unless the court concludes that the transfer was intended to deprive a creditor or other of a just and lawful remedy. Intention is a state of mind and a question of fact to be determined in each case. In circumstances where the impugned transaction was not made for valuable consideration, a presumption of fraud arises, but the presumption may be rebutted by evidence that the transferor did not act in furtherance of an improper purpose.

The so-called badges of fraud are often referred to by the court when deciding whether to draw an inference of fraudulent intent within the meaning of the FCA. The indicia considered may include the state of the transferor’s financial affairs at the time of the transfer, the relationship between the transferor and the transferee, the effect of the transfer on the over-all assets of the transferor, evidence of haste in making the disposition, the timing of the transfer relative to knowledge of a claim against him or her, whether the transferee gave any valuable consideration for the transfer, the transferor remaining in possession and having use of the asset following the transaction, and secrecy in making the transfer.

Evidence that the transferor did not act in furtherance of an improper purpose may include lack of debts or obligations to the claimant or others, a remaining estate sufficient to satisfy any possible claim, an oral or written agreement that the transferor and his or her spouse would keep their assets separate and be able to deal with their assets free from claims by the other, an oral or written agreement that their respective estates would be left to their respective children from prior relationships, knowledge of any such agreement by others, providing for a subsequent spouse or child, other legitimate estate planning purposes such as avoiding future wills variation claims and probate fees and other taxes, and the lack of evidence of a fraudulent intent as opposed to speculation.

Will a Concurrent Valid Purpose Cure the Taint of an Improper Purpose?

The short answer is “No”.  There will often be more than one reason for an estate plan. Sometimes estate plans are created to hide improper purposes. The FCA simply says that if made to delay, hinder or defraud, a disposition is void. The authorities clearly establish that dispositions or transfers made in part to insulate an asset from the grasp of a creditor will not be excused by a concurrent lawful purpose, even when the transferor acted on professional advice.

Who Can Dispute the Validity or Provisions of a Will?

A will may be attacked on the basis that the will-maker had lacked the necessary mental capacity to make the will or the will was the result of fraud, coercion or undue influence from someone else.

Such claims may be made by anyone who would benefit from an earlier will if the contested will is set aside or by someone who would, according to Part 3 of the Will, Estates and Succession Act, [SBC 2009] Ch. 13 (“WESA”), benefit if the deceased had died without a valid will at all.

In addition, s. 60 of the WESA gives the spouse and children of a will-maker the right to claim a variation of the will if it does not make adequate, just and equitable provision for him or her. A will variation claim must be commenced within 180 days of the executor named in the will obtaining a grant of probate of the will.

A dispute as to the validity of a will may be started by filing a caveat to prevent the executor obtaining a grant of probate without first proving the validity of the will in solemn form to the satisfaction of the court. If the court is satisfied as to its validity the will may still be subject to a will variation claim.

In an action for proof of a will in solemn form, the court must be satisfied that it was signed in compliance with the statutory formalities (in writing, signed at the end by the will-maker in the presence of at least 2 witnesses who also signed), and the will-maker knew and approved of the contents of the will when signing and he or she had the necessary mental capacity to make a will at the time.

Although the need for strict compliance with statutory formalities has been relaxed by s. 58 of the WESA, the   need to prove that the will-maker knew and approved the contents of the will or other testamentary document or record and he or she had the necessary mental capacity when making the will remains firmly entrenched in the law.

Will-Making Capacity

The test for will-making capacity is not too onerous. Sufficient mental capacity may exist despite cognitive deterioration. The will-maker may have sufficient mental capacity even when his or her ability to manage other matters is impaired or compromised. Having a less than perfect memory is not sufficient to take away will-making capacity unless it is so great as to leave the person without a mind capable of making a valid will. The law recognizes that cognitive deterioration may still allow for short periods of lucidity when will –making capacity is present.

In order to make a valid will, the will-maker must have a “baseline level of mental acuity” or a “disposing mind and memory” which is sufficient to understand the nature and effect of making a will. This includes an understanding as to whether there are persons who would expect to benefit from the will-maker’s estate and the extent of the property of which he or she is disposing. The assessment as to whether the will-maker had possessed the needed mental capacity is a highly individualized question of fact to be determined in all the circumstances. A will-maker cannot be found not to have will-making capacity simply because the will leaves his or her estate in a manner that some people might think unkind.

The person trying to prove the validity of a will may be assisted by a presumption as to the validity of the will. If the will was signed according to the statutory formalities after it was read over by or to a will-maker who appeared to understand the meaning of the will, it may be presumed that the will-maker possessed will-making capacity and knew and approved of the contents of the will when making it.

What if there are Suspicious Circumstances?

The presumption of validity may be rebutted by evidence of well-grounded suspicious circumstances concerning the preparation of the will or tending to call into question the mental capacity of the will-maker at the time or tending to show that the free will of the will-maker had been overborne by acts of coercion or fraud or undue influence.

The standard of proof for establishing suspicious circumstances is a balance of probabilities (more than a 50% chance), which is the standard of proof that applies in civil (non-criminal) litigation.

In order to rebut the presumption of validity, persons attacking the will must demonstrate that there is some evidence which, if accepted, would tend to negate knowledge and approval or will-making capacity. It is important to remember that mere suspicion that something improper may have happened is not sufficient to rebut the presumption of validity; the evidence must raise a specific and focused suspicion. The absence of such evidence will be fatal to a suspicious circumstances argument.

Suspicious circumstances have been found in a wide range of situations which are not necessarily sinister in nature. There is no checklist of circumstantial factors that will invariably fit the classification. Commonly occurring themes include situations where a beneficiary is instrumental in the preparation of the will (especially where the beneficiary stands in a fiduciary position to the will-maker), or where the will favours someone who the will-maker had not previously provided for and does not fall within the class of persons that will-makers usually remember in their wills, namely next of kin.

The validity of a will does not stand or fall on the presence or absence of suspicious circumstances. If suspicious circumstances are established, the presumption of validity fails and the legal burden of proof reverts to the person trying to prove the will to establish the knowledge and approval of the will-maker as well as his or her will-making capacity if the suspicious circumstances had reflected on that capacity.