Landmark Equity & Trusts cases

Imperfect gifts cannot be rescued by implying declaration of trust

Imperfect gifts can be perfected when donee becomes donor's executor

A trust of intangible property need not identify specific assets from a larger identical mass.

Illegal trust participants can recover property without relying on illegality

Equity can perfect imperfect share gifts when unconscionable to withdraw

Trustees cannot profit from their position even without fraud or misconduct

Court establishes certainty requirement for charitable trusts and cy-près doctrine

Court establishes three certainties doctrine for valid trust creation

Adult beneficiaries can terminate trusts early and demand transfer of assets

Trusts fail if subject matter lacks certainty - 'bulk of estate' insufficient.

Equity enforces secret trusts to prevent fraud despite apparent contradiction of statutory formalities.

Third parties liable for breach of trust through dishonest assistance or knowing receipt

Trustee cannot claim benefit of doubt when mixing trust funds with own money

Established the four heads of charity: religion, education, relief of poverty, other purposes beneficial to community.

Half-secret trusts fail when communicated terms differ from will provisions

Secret trusts bind accepting trustees despite non-acceptance by co-trustees

Secret trusts bind trustees despite beneficial gifts under wills

Court creates personal remedy against innocent recipients of wrongly distributed estate funds

Educational trusts must benefit sufficient section of public, not just company employees' relatives.

Trust for company employees' children fails public benefit test for charity

Secret trust beneficiaries can witness wills without losing their interests

Religious trusts for specific denominations or groups can be charitable despite restricted beneficiaries.

Gift complete in equity when donor does everything in their power

Non-charitable purpose trusts void for lack of beneficiaries to enforce them.

Discretionary trusts required complete list of all possible beneficiaries for validity.

Oral dispositions of equitable interests are void without writing under s53(1)(c)

Court rejected extension of anomalous exceptions to non-charitable purpose trust invalidity.

Contracts for equitable interests need separate written disposition despite specific enforceability

Threefold classification of gifts to unincorporated associations; synagogue land held on valid charitable trust.

Beneficiaries cannot compel trustees to disclose reasons for exercising discretionary powers.

Incomplete trust dispositions cannot escape beneficial ownership for tax purposes

Fiduciaries must account for unauthorized profits despite acting honestly

Purpose trusts valid when beneficiaries have direct enforceable interest

House of Lords clarifies crucial distinction between trusts and powers

House of Lords relaxes certainty test for discretionary trusts

Secret trusts can be established by clear evidence of intention, communication and acceptance.

Gifts to unincorporated associations valid as beneficial gifts to members under contract-holding theory.

Poverty trusts can benefit defined classes and remain charitable despite personal connections.

Discretionary trusts valid if clear cases identifiable despite uncertain borderline cases.

Resulting trusts can be displaced by trustee conduct evidencing express trust intention

Interim injunctions granted where serious question, inadequate damages, and balance favours applicant.

Company can create trust of customer deposits by segregation with clear trust intention.

Informal words 'money is as much yours as mine' created valid express trust

Chief Rabbi clause valid; expert determination can cure conceptual uncertainty in trusts

Half-secret trusts valid if terms communicated before or contemporaneously with will execution.

Mistaken payments create immediate constructive trusts giving equitable proprietary interests.

Pension trustees must put financial returns before political ideology

Unjust enrichment recognized as independent cause of action requiring restitution subject to defenses.

Bribe proceeds held on constructive trust from moment of receipt by fiduciary

No trust arises over unascertained goods without appropriation or sufficient certainty of subject matter