Purnell v Tindale [2020] NSWSC 746

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Purnell v Tindale [2020] NSWSC 746 Hearing dates: 15 July 2019 Date of orders: 17 June 2020 Decision date: 17 June 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity - Family Provision List Before: Henry J Decision: (1) Pursuant to s 58(2) of Succession Act 2006 (NSW), the time for the making of the plaintiff's application for a family provision order be extended to 12 July 2018. (2) Dismiss the plaintiff's claim for provision out of the deceased's estate. (3) Unless either party makes an application for a different costs order within 14 days, there be no order as to costs with the intent that each party is to bear their own costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Family provision – proceedings commenced eleven months out of time – where plaintiff did not receive deceased's will for six months and not aware of time limit – adequate explanation for delay, no significant prejudice from delay and application not hopeless – extension of time granted

SUCCESSION – Family provision – claim by adult nephew – where plaintiff frequently visited deceased's house and stayed overnight during his childhood – where defendant was in a relationship with deceased and lived at deceased's house for over 50 years – where deceased's will devised house to plaintiff and defendant as tenants in common subject to defendant's right to live there – whether plaintiff was a member of the same household as deceased – no continual and permanent living arrangements established – whether plaintiff dependent on deceased – plaintiff not dependent on deceased for accommodation, financial or other care and support – plaintiff not an eligible person – whether there were factors warranting plaintiff's application – where ongoing and close relationship between plaintiff and deceased and plaintiff recognised in deceased's will – factors warranted application – whether adequate and proper provision made for the plaintiff – deceased not morally obliged or required by community standards to make further provision for plaintiff – application for further provision refused – notional estate – where special circumstances existed to justify notional estate order – where defendant had reasonable expectation to continue to live at deceased's house Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 57(1)(e), 58(2), 59(1)(b), 59(1)(c), 59(2), 79, 87, 90(2)(b) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98(1) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 42.1 Cases Cited: Amprimo v Wynn [2015] NSWCA 286 Austin v Wells [2008] NSWSC 1266 Ball v Newey (1988) 13 NSWLR 489 Bathurst Regional Council v Local Government Financial Services Pty Ltd (No 5) [2012] FCA 1200 Bayssari v Bazouni [2014] NSWSC 910 Benny v Jones (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 13 February 1990, unrep) Bezjak v Wyatt [2018] NSWSC 199 Butler v Morris [2012] NSWSC 748 Campbell v Chabert-McKay [2010] NSWSC 859 Cetojevic v Cetojevic [2006] NSWSC 431 Chan v Chan [2016] NSWCA 222 Charnock v Handley [2011] NSWSC 1408 Dannawi v Dannaway [2019] NSWSC 1287 De Winter v Johnstone (Court of Appeal (NSW), 23 August 1995, unrep) Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Doyle v Smith (Supreme Court (NSW), McLaughlin M, 21 September 1994, unrep) Estate Pascale [2016] NSWSC 443 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Harris v Harris [2018] NSWSC 552 John v John [2010] NSWSC 937 Markulin v Drew (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 12 August 1993, unrep). Marning v Staniforth (Supreme Court (NSW), 25 March 1987, Hodgson J, unrep) McCann v Ward [2010] VSC 452 Mekhail v Hana; Mekail v Hana; In the Estate of Nadia Mekhail (No 3) [2018] NSWSC 1452 Munro v Lake (Supreme Court (NSW), McLelland J, 8 February 1991, unrep) Neil v Nott (1994) 121 ALR 148; [1994] HCA 23 Page v Page [2017] NSWCA 141 Petrohilos v Hunter (1991) 25 NSWLR 343 Phillips v James (2014) 85 NSWLR 619; [2014] NSWCA 4 Porthouse v Bridge [2007] NSWSC 686 Russell v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2013] NSWSC 370 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Sherborne Estate (No 2): Vanvalen v Neaves; Gilroy v Neaves (2005) 65 NSWLR 268; [2005] NSWSC 1003 Singer v Berghouse (1993) 67 ALJR 708; [1993] HCA 35 Skinner v Frappell [2008] NSWCA 296 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Spata v Tumino [2017] NSWSC 111 Spata v Tumino [2018] NSWCA 17 Steinmetz v Shannon (2019) 99 NSWLR 687; [2019] NSWCA 114 Stone v Stone [2016] NSWSC 605 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Underwood v Gaudron [2018] NSWCA 269 Valbe v Irlicht [2001] VSC 53 Vaughan v Curran [2019] NSWSC 1562 Verzar v Verzar [2014] NSWCA 45 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Wagstaff v Wagstaff (Supreme Court (NSW), Windeyer M, 6 November 1991, unrep) Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Wolff v Deavin [2012] NSWSC 1315 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: John Inglis Purnell (Plaintiff) Graham Neville Tindale (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: K Morrissey (Plaintiff) R Tregenza (Defendant)