LAW 12

12.1c - Marriage & Lottery Wins

INSTRUCTIONS: The following 4 interesting cases represent the leading cases in Canadian civil law regarding how lottery wins are dealt with in marriage-like relationships. The key legal issue in these cases is either whether the couple was legally in a 'marriage-like relationship' at the time of the lottery win, or whether the lottery money was a 'family asset' or a 'personal asset'? Skim read each case and provide a brief summary (paragraph or point-form) of the case facts, as well as the judge's decision regarding who gets the lotto money in each case.

Barkacin v. Wasiak (2009 https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2008/2008canlii70847/2008canlii70847.html

Doucette v. Hache (2010) https://www.canlii.org/en/ns/nssc/doc/2010/2010nssc299/2010nssc299.html

Souder v. Wereschuk (2003) https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abqb/doc/2003/2003abqb258/2003abqb258.html

Nisbet v. Nisbet (2002) https://www.canlii.org/en/bc/bcsc/doc/2002/2002bcsc596/2002bcsc596.html