A LONG-RUNNING legal dispute between members of the Fossetts Circus family was settled at the High Court yesterday.
The case was taken by the late circus founder Edward Fossett’s three daughters; Mary and Amy Garcia, of Borneville Village, Birmingham, England, and Mona Jabola, The Grange, Lucan, Co Dublin. They claimed they were entitled to a one-sixth share in the circus enterprise because their father had left the assets to his six children equally.
The action was against the estates of the late Edward, John and Robert Fossett; Fossett Brothers Circus Ltd and Fossett Enterprises Ltd.
Legal proceedings were first initiated in 1992 and numerous attempts to resolve the dispute had failed, the High Court was told when the matter first came before it in 2003.
The defendants had denied the daughters claims of equal ownership.
In the 2003 hearing, Mr Justice Peter Kelly urged the parties to try and reach agreement and was later told an accommodation had been reached. However, counsel for the sisters said it was not possible to say if that accommodation was permanent as there were some other matters which the parties would try to resolve.
The case returned to the High Court yesterday where it was due to be heard over three days.
However, following negotiations, Gavin Ralston SC, for the sisters, told Mr Justice Peter Charleton the matter had been settled and the case could be struck out.
Approving the settlement yesterday, Mr Justice Charleton said he hoped the parties would go away satisfied and added that Fossets was “something we have all enjoyed over the years”.