Welcome to The Late Edition.

I'm Ben Carver, a Nova Scotia lawyer who practises exclusively in estate law. That means I read a lot of cases — about wills, estates, trusts, and all the disputes that arise at the end of life. This blog is my way of sharing the ones I find most interesting, with my own perspective, commentary, and the occasional strong opinion.

The focus will be Nova Scotia, though I'll also keep an eye on decisions from other jurisdictions which may influence how the law develops here.

I have a particular interest in dependants' relief claims — the area where testamentary freedom collides with family obligation. It is among the most personal areas of estate litigation, and one where each case is truly unique.

I live in Bridgewater, on Nova Scotia's beautiful South Shore, with my wife Blair, who is also a lawyer, and our rescue dog Conrad, who often reads cases with me and never complains about the hours.