Blendell v Blendell; Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Blendell v Blendell; Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154 Hearing dates: 4 December 2019 Decision date: 24 July 2020 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Gleeson JA at [76]; Leeming JA at [77] Decision: (1) In proceeding 2019/207900, appeal dismissed with costs. (2) In proceeding 2019/207924, appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Family provision – Appeal against order for provision in favour of two adult children – Where whole of estate left to deceased's husband – Where failure by one applicant to produce documents relevant to that applicant's financial circumstances – Where evidence as to value of other applicant's assets unreliable – Whether failure to comply with notice to produce a basis for rejecting application for provision – Whether Court had sufficient evidence of each applicant's financial position – Whether primary judge had regard to 50 year marital relationship between deceased and her husband as sole beneficiary, and deceased's decision to leave all of her estate to him – Appeal dismissed. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56(2), (3) Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 59(1)(c), (2), 60(2)(a), (d), (m) Testator's Family Maintenance and Guardianship of Infants Act 1916 (NSW), s 3(2) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 34.2(1) Cases Cited: Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Azar v Kathirgamalingan [2012] NSWCA 429 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Chapple v Wilcox (2014) 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 Collings v Vakas [2006] NSWSC 393 Expense Reduction Analysts Group Pty Ltd v Armstrong Strategic Management and Marketing Pty Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 303; [2013] HCA 46 Hwang v Lawrie [2014] 1 Qd R 562; [2013] QCA 204 In re the Will of FB Gilbert (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 318 Nicholls v Hall [2007] NSWCA 356 Phillips v James (2014) 85 NSWLR 619; [2014] NSWCA 4 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Shade Systems Pty Ltd (2018) 264 CLR 1; [2018] HCA 4 PT Garuda Indonesia Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission [2020] FCA 685 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9; [1962] HCA 19 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Stone v Stone [2019] NSWSC 233 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Young v Jackman (1986) 7 NSWLR 97 Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2019/207900 Michael James Blendell (appellant) Julian Karl Blendell (respondent)