Muir v Angeles [2020] NSWSC 1056

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Muir v Angeles [2020] NSWSC 1056 Hearing dates: 18 June 2020 Date of orders: 12 August 2020 Decision date: 12 August 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The Court: (a) Orders that the Cross-Summons filed by the Defendant on 2 August 2019 be dismissed. (b) Makes no order as to the Plaintiff's costs of the notice of motion to the intent that she bears her own costs thereof. (c) Orders that the balance of the proceedings be listed for directions before the Succession List Judge at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday 25 August 2020. Catchwords: BANKRUPTCY – Effect of bankruptcy on proceedings commenced by Plaintiff seeking various forms of relief to do with the estate of her father, the deceased –Action by the Defendant, by way of Cross-Summons for family provision order under Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3 – The Defendant made bankrupt following the commencement of the proceedings – Summons and Cross-Summons filed before endorsement of the debtor's petition – Whether claim by Defendant is automatically stayed – Whether trustee in bankruptcy is deemed to have abandoned the claim raised in the Cross-Summons – Whether Cross-Summons was stayed and should be dismissed SUCCESSION – Family provision – Practice – Application for summary dismissal of claim – Where Cross-Claimant is declared bankrupt – Whether claim made in Cross-Summons for family provision order should be summarily dismissed – No evidence of the Defendant referred to on notice of motion for dismissal – Reference only to defence filed by Defendant Legislation Cited: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth), ss 58, 60, 82 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 3, 56, 57, 91 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 59, 91 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 18.7 Cases Cited: Aware Industries Ltd v Robinson (1997) 75 FCR 600 Cameron v Cole (1944) 68 CLR 571; [1944] HCA 5 Coffey v Bennett [1961] VR 264 Cole v Challenge Bank Limited [2002] FCAFC 200 Collicoat v McMillan [1999] 3 VR 803 Coyne v Commercial Equity Corporation Ltd (1998) 20 WAR 109 Cummings v Claremont Petroleum NL (1996) 185 CLR 124; [1996] HCA 19 Daemar v Industrial Commission of New South Wales (1988) 12 NSWLR 45 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Garrett [2015] VSC 347 Duckworth v Water Corporation (2012) 261 FLR 185; [2012] WASC 30 Feiglin v Ainsworth (No 3) (2013) 280 FLR 24; [2013] VSC 560 Freeman v Joiner [2005] FCAFC 149 Frigger v Rowe Bristol Lawyers Pty Ltd [2020] WASC 5 Jandric v Jandric (No 2) [2007] WASC 273 Jensen v State of New South Wales [2014] NSWSC 682 John v Neiman Holdings Pty Ltd (1986) 84 FLR 84 Liristis v Gadelrabb [2012] NSWCA 327 McLeod v Johns [1981] 1 NSWLR 347 Menzies v Marriott [2009] VSC 345 Nugawela v Commissioner of Taxation [2018] FCA 1458 Official Receiver in Bankruptcy v Schultz (1990) 170 CLR 306; [1990] HCA 45 Owens v Comlaw (No 62) Pty Ltd (2006) 201 FLR 275; [2006] VSCA 151 Poesch v Grosvero [2013] VSC 596 Psevdos v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [2018] SASC 9 Re Collins; Ex parte Official Trustee in Bankruptcy v Bracher (1986) 10 FCR 209 Re Lofthouse (In the matter of Guss) (2001) 107 FCR 151; [2001] FCA 25 Savage v Australian Unity Funds Management Ltd [2011] NSWCA 270 State of Queensland v Beames [2004] 2 Qd R 99; [2003] QSC 399 Steiner v Strang (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 891 Temsign Pty Ltd v Biscen Pty Ltd (1998) 20 WAR 47 Voskuilen v Morisset Mega Markets [2005] NSWSC 34 Want v Moss (1889) 10 LR (NSW) 274 Watson v National Australia Bank [2017] FCA 128 Zhao v Suzhou Haishun Investment Management Co Ltd [2020] VSCA 34 Texts Cited: PP McQuade and MGR Gronow, McDonald, Henry & Meek: Australian Bankruptcy Law and Practice (2020, Lawbook Co) Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Caitlin Stanmore Muir (Plaintiff) John Dondi Angeles (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: K Leotta (Plaintiff) File Number(s): 2018/00398591