Legal Blog

False Pretences

Shaver-Kudell Manufacturing Inc. v. Knight Manufacturing Inc. 2020 Ont SCJ

In a prior action, the defendant been held liable for substantial damages for committing a breach of confidence and misappropriating the plaintiff’s trade secrets. The defendant then assigned into bankruptcy. The plaintiff brought a motion seeking a declaration that, upon discharge from bankruptcy, the defendant was not released from the debt owed to the plaintiff because that debt arose from the defendant obtaining property by false pretences as set out in section 178(1)(e) of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA). The plaintiff also requested a declaration that the automatic stay under section 69(1) of the BIA be lifted. The judge gave a complete list of considerations and granted both requests. The judge found that the defendant was a deceitful wrongdoer who should be precluded from benefiting from his dishonesty. He found that, because s. 178(1)(e) applied, the plaintiff would be materially prejudiced if the stay continued to operate.

Written by Jonathan Speigel, the founding partner of Speigel Nichols Fox LLP, leads the litigation and construction practices.