Court rules on property rights for co-owners

THE Supreme Court has agreed to decide issues of “fundamental importance” relating to the property rights of co-owners of registered lands in circumstances where creditors want to divide or sell the property.

The issues were raised in proceedings where the Revenue Commissioners sought to execute judgment orders, obtained by them against a man on property co-owned by him and his estranged wife. Revenue are involved in at least 20 similar cases while other cases have been deferred pending determination of the same issues.

The High Court had ruled against Revenue but the case was appealed to the Supreme Court. The man later reached a settlement with the Revenue but the Supreme Court was asked to still decide the issues due to their relevance in other cases.