It used to define the member functions of a class outside
Classified in Law & Jurisprudence
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the elements of three certainties have been declared in the case
Of KNIGHT v KNIGHT. Where Lord Langdale said ''a trust will
Only come into existence if there is certainty of words, certainty of subject
Matter and subject of objects. Trusts in modern law are used as a measure of
Protecting a family or to establish ownership of properties within family
Agreements that could arise after a person's death or within their
Lifetime.
Certainty of Intention
from cases such as Lamb v Evans, Comiskey v Bowring and Paul
V Constance it's clear that an outright gift is presumed unless a
Trust was clearly intended. In Re Hamilton Lindley LJ, said
That the courts must look at all the words used by the testator to see if the
True construction in context of the particular transfer was actually intended.
This requires you to look at case by case, because in some cases words that have
Been used previously might have been acceptable oppose to the words used now
Might not be acceptable for a trust. Therefore making it clear that there is no
Definite rules for determining whether words or dispositions have created a gift
Or a trust. The test for certainty is subjective; it asks what the actual
Intention of the testator were, looking at the words as a whole, rather than
Focusing on particular words. However, certainty of intention must be
Established for a trust to be created. If the trust cannot be established, then
It will be a resulting trust which mean that it will be returned to the
Testator.
Certainty of Subject Matter
the property to be held on trust must be capable of adequate
Identification and the testator must hold the title at the time of making the
Will. For there to be certainty of subject matter, the trust property must be
Clearly identified. Where there is uncertainty of subject matter the decision
Concerning certainty of intention can be affected. Lack of certainty of subject
Matter will occur if the property which is supposed to be managed or
Administered by the trustees on behalf of the beneficiaries cannot be determined
As in Re London Wine. If the Certainty of subject matter is
Missing then there are two possible outcomes that can happen. The first outcome
Is that the gift will go absolutely to the first donee as seen
In Sprange v Bernard and this means the property is an absolute
Gift to the person who should be a trustee, and will not go to the person
Originally intended for. The second outcome can arise if the subject matter is
Missing, the gift will fail and will revert back on a resulting trust to the
Settlor's estate. In the case of chattels if the specific property is not
Identified then a trust will not be created, this was held in the case
Of Palmer v Simmonds. This case in which the word 'Bulk' was
Not allowed to represent the amount of property left, because the word is to
Broad to define how much the bulk of an estate is. There can also be problems
Identifying how the property is divided between the beneficiaries as in the case
Of Re Golays ''a reasonable income'' deemed to be objectively
Defineable, so sufficiently certain. The trust property must be identifiable,
Where the trust propery is selected from property that
Is not changeable (i.E items that are unique e.G 5 out of 10
Individual paintings), it must be possible to identify that specific property as
Intended in Re London Wine. However, if the property
Involved is interchangeable (e.G 20 out of 100 shares of the
Same type) the subject matter will be sufficiently certain which is identified
In the case of Hunter v Moss.
Certainty of Objects
This third certainty makes it clear that the trust has
To specify who the beneficiaries actually is, this is said by Lord
Dennining in Re Vandervells Trust no2 and if the beneficiary is not
Clear then the trust would be void for uncertainty of objects and the property
That would have gone on trust would go back to the donor. Depending on the type
Of trust, there are different rules for certainty of objects. In a fixed trust,
The trust instrument sets out the the shares of each beneficiary in the trust
Property, so that each beneficiary's interest is fixed. In order for a trustee
To distribute the trust they must be able, under IRC Broadway v
Cottages, to draw up a comprehensive list of everyone beneficially
Entitled. The test used for certainty of objects show that you must be
Able to identify the beneficiaries. It doesnt matter where they are, or even if
Its known where they are, they just need to be identified. Whereas a
Discretionary trust is where the settlor has designated a class of people from
Which beneficiaries may be chosen, but the actual selection is made by the
Trustees. The case of Mc Phail v Doulton made the courts
Examine in detail the approach there were previously taking, as the HOL looked
At the test of certainty of objects for powers becasue it was more generous than
The test of certaint of trusts. It was often the case that an arrangement would
Be valid if characterisd as a power by invalid if it was a trust. After
Examining this case they adopted an 'any given posultant test'
Which derived from the ruled on power in the case of Re
Gulbenkian in this case it was said ''power is valid if it can be
Said with certainty whether any given individual is or is not a member of the
Class and does not fail simply because it's impossible to asscertain every
Member of the class'' in the later case of Re Baden Deed Trust
No2 the COA evaluated the test and distinguished between the conceptual
And evidential certainty. In respect to a trust being unsuccessful for
Uncertainty it will be held that the trustee cannot take possession of the
Property and it will simply be held on resulting trust.