Legal Chronicle: Eviction of a Daughter-in-Law, Hebrew Contracts, and Estate Manager Liability
The court ruled that 15 years of living in a mother-in-law's apartment does not grant a daughter-in-law property rights. The Supreme Court confirmed that signing a contract in Hebrew is binding even for those who do not understand the language. An estate manager was ordered to pay compensation for releasing trust funds prematurely.
About the section
This section will weekly summarize for our readers interesting court rulings published recently. We select rulings in core economic areas from which one can learn something fundamental. For each ruling, we provide a summary and the significance of the verdict. The case number allows those who wish to delve deeper to read the original. You are welcome to send us interesting court rulings to the email nitsan-s@globes.co.il
Evicting a daughter-in-law after a couple's separation
In short: A couple lived in the husband's mother's apartment for 15 years. After their separation, the daughter-in-law remained in the apartment against the mother's consent, and the court ordered her eviction.
A flat owner in the center of the country allowed her son and his wife to live in her apartment from 2009 until 2023. After the couple separated, the mother-in-law demanded the daughter-in-law vacate the apartment. The daughter-in-law claimed she had a "license in real estate" due to the long duration of stay and investments in renovations. Judge Daniel Sharaz of the Family Court in Petah Tikva accepted the eviction claim, ordering the apartment vacated by October 1, 2027. The judge determined that the residential license was granted subject to the family ties remaining intact, and the owner was entitled to revoke it.
Significance of the ruling: One who grants permission to live in an apartment is entitled to retract it if the condition upon which it was granted has changed.
Case number: 77156-05-25
Supreme Court: Not understanding the language does not release one from a contract
In short: The Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a person who signed a purchase agreement in Hebrew and later claimed it was not binding because he did not understand the language.
A native of Georgia who immigrated to Israel in 1997 signed an agreement to transfer his rights in an apartment. He later claimed he was defrauded and believed he was signing a loan agreement. Judges Yael Willner, Alex Stein, and Ruth Ronen determined that signing a legal document without taking steps to clarify its content through an interpreter constitutes negligence. The presumption is that one who signs an agreement understands its content.
Significance of the ruling: One who claims not to understand an agreement due to language difficulties must prove they were not negligent.
Case number: 29818-11-25
Estate manager to compensate purchasers for releasing funds contrary to agreement
In short: The court ordered an estate manager to pay 40,000 shekels in compensation to apartment purchasers for releasing trust funds before obtaining the necessary registration approvals.
Purchasers of an apartment in Kiryat Yam sued the estate manager, Adv. Ben Zion Raam, for breach of contract. The court determined that the manager had a direct contractual obligation to the purchasers and was not immune from personal responsibility. The parties reached a compromise, setting the compensation at 40,000 shekels.
Significance of the ruling: An estate manager holding trust funds is obligated to act strictly according to the agreement; otherwise, they may be liable for compensation.
Case number: 72322-05-25
