Phillipa C. Goddard

Following the dismissal of the appellant's appeal, the respondents sought full indemnity costs, relying on an unresponded settlement offer and rule 57.01 of the Rules of Civil Procedure.

The Court of Appeal declined to award full indemnity costs, noting that costs generally follow the event on a partial indemnity basis unless there is sanctionable conduct during the appeal.

Finding no such conduct, the court awarded the respondents partial indemnity costs of $11,000 all-inclusive.

The appellant appealed the dismissal of his application for a declaration that he owned a two-thirds share of a property.

The property was originally owned by his mother-in-law, who transferred it to herself and her daughter (the appellant's late wife) as joint tenants.

The appellant argued the property was a matrimonial home and the joint tenancy was severed upon his wife's death.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding that the transfer raised a presumption of resulting trust which was not rebutted.

Because the daughter held the property on resulting trust, she did not have an interest in the property under the Family Law Act, precluding it from being a matrimonial home.