Transfers, shams, and trusts of land – Judgment

The judgment of Mr Justice Rajah in Islam v Islam [2024] EWHC 1082 (Ch) was handed down this morning, following a 10-day trial in February and March 2024.  The 81-page decision reviews the law relating to sham trusts and illegality (§§136-147), forgeries and the requirements of handwriting experts (§§100-117), and undue influence (§§162-169) – all in the context of a factually-complex family property dispute. The case was picked up in national newspapers, including the Times, the Daily Mail and elsewhere.

An interesting and useful read for property, private client and family practitioners dealing with knotty family portfolio disputes following the death of a senior family member. Please follow this link to read the full judgment.

George Woodhead acted for the First and Second Defendants, instructed by Manjot Dhillon at BP Collins.