Land Court decision highlights need for Tonga to review drafting of joint leases

A dispute by two of the sons of the four Wight brothers who had co-leased a property in central Tongatapu, highlighted the need for the Ministry of Lands to review the drafting of such leases and how to deal with them upon the death of co-lessees, President Owen G. Paulsen of the Land Court of Tonga, stressed in a decision on 18 December 2017. His decision also showed that family members cannot automatically assume entitlement to a lease on the death of the lessee, without having followed the requirements of the Probate Act, which requires an application for Letters of Administration of a deceased's estate.