A legal battle is impending in court between Denise Cosgrave, the wife of late builder Joe Cosgrave, and her husband’s brothers, Michael and William Cosgrave. This follows an unsuccessful attempt at resolving their disagreement through mediation.
Judge Denis McDonald of the Commercial Court has been informed the mediation discussions carried out over the summer failed to solve the discord. Denise Cosgrave, as a result, is pressing for a schedule for case arrangement. Subsequent to this, dates were determined for submission of different legal documents intended to prepare for a hearing slated to commence on 11th February in the following year. The court anticipates the hearing will span three to four days.
The major gripe that Denise Cosgrave, the claimant, is bringing forward is that her deceased spouse’s brothers have been strategically manipulating his passing to seize control of the recognised construction and development organisation. The defendants, comprised of the Cosgrave brothers and the companies Genstar Unlimited and JOM Investments Limited, are denying the accusations by asserting they have handled everything professionally and with the Cosgrave Group’s best interests in mind.
For her part, Denise Cosgrave is pushing for official recognition as a one-third shareholder in both Genstar and JOM. This is in her role as the personal representative of her late husband, who formerly held a one-third stake in the companies.
Furthermore, she seeks a definitive judgement confirming the brothers, serving as the group’s directors, have acted wrongly in disregarding her husband’s will and a High Court decision as adequate proof of her right to be registered as a shareholder in the aforementioned companies.
Serving as the executor of her husband’s will, Ms Cosgrave has been widowed since her husband’s death in February 2022, at 62 years of age. She and her daughters, Kate and Laura, survive him.
The two companies, Genstar and JOM, were formerly co-managed by Joe, Michael and the late Peter Cosgrave, who passed in 2019. Ms. Cosgrave alleges that her late husband’s death is being exploited mainly by Michael to gain control of the Cosgrave Group.
She also suspects the directors of the company are devising plans with profound consequences for the group, which include selling undeveloped residential and commercial properties and incurring new debts.
Additionally, she’s expressed feeling that she’s been unjustifiably treated differently from her sister-in-law, Oonagh Cosgrave, Peter’s widow, who she claims has been recognised as a shareholder.