Estate deadlock—when unanimity between executors is a pipe dream

This article looks at a recent judgment of the Royal Court of Jersey in which two of the five executors sought relief from the Court aimed at breaking the deadlock which had plagued the administration of the estate for much of its 19 years. The Court agreed to a request to delegate the final stages of the administration (which mainly related to selling some apartments in Malaysia) to the court appointed administrator. Whilst final sign off for any material steps rests with the executors themselves, a mechanism has been built into the orders which allows the Viscount of Jersey to sign documents on behalf of any recalcitrant executor, subject to that executor being able to apply to Court if he or she feels strongly enough to file an objection.