Facts: Barbara De Angelis sued Annie Siermy, claiming Annie promised to leave her estate to Barbara in exchange for services rendered over the years. Barbara alleged breach of contract and unjust enrichment. The case involved disputed documents, referred to as "Letters from the Grave," which Barbara presented as evidence of the alleged agreement.
Issue: The court needed to determine whether Barbara's claims of contract and unjust enrichment were valid and if the "Letters from the Grave" were authentic. Additionally, the court considered whether special costs should be awarded to the defendants due to the conduct of the plaintiff during the litigation.
Court’s Ruling: The court dismissed Barbara's claims, finding that she likely forged the disputed documents to establish her contract claim. The court ruled that the defendants were entitled to special costs due to Barbara's reprehensible conduct, which included forgery and misleading the court.
Costs/Damages Awarded: The defendants' special costs were awarded but discounted by 30% to account for the portion of the case related to the unjust enrichment claim, which was not directly tied to the forgery. The exact amount of the costs was to be determined by a registrar, and both parties were ordered to bear their own costs for the special costs application. Financial terms were not specified.
