Watton v MacTaggart [2020] NSWSC 1233

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Watton v MacTaggart [2020] NSWSC 1233 Hearing dates: 18-20 and 27 May 2020 Date of orders: 11 September 2020 Decision date: 11 September 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Ward CJ in Eq Decision: 1. Extend the time for the filing of the plaintiff's summons to 11 March 2019. 2. Pursuant to s 59 of the Succession Act 2006 (NSW), order that provision be made out of the estate of the deceased in favour of the plaintiff in the sum of $300,000 in lieu of the provision made for the plaintiff under the deceased's will dated 28 November 2017. 3. Order that the burden of the provision ordered by order 2 above be borne out of the one-half share of the deceased's estate that was left equally as between the nineteen named beneficiaries (but excluding Lynette Maroney, Leigh MacTaggart and Tracey Watton), such that the net residuary estate be distributed as follows and in the following order: (i) one-half share of the residuary estate to the defendant (David MacTaggart); (ii) a one-nineteenth share of the balance of the residuary estate to each of Lynette Maroney, Leigh MacTaggart and Tracey Watton; (iii) a lump sum of $300,000 to the plaintiff (Jannette Watton) in lieu of the provision made for her under the Will; (iv) the balance divided equally amongst the named beneficiaries to whom the deceased left the other one-half share of the residuary estate (including David MacTaggart but excluding Lynette Maroney, Leigh MacTaggart, Tracey Watton and Jannette Watton). 4. Direct the parties to file and serve brief written submissions as to costs within seven days, with the issue of costs to be dealt with on the papers. 5. Note that order 2 has been premised on the usual costs orders for claims of this kind being made and may need to be revised having regard to the forthcoming submissions as to costs. 6. Liberty to apply if there is any issue arising in relation to the implementation of the above orders. Catchwords: SUCCESSION — Family provision — Claim by adult child for provision from deceased father's estate Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), ss 76, 79, 135, 136, 140 Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), ss 72, 75 Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW) Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 31.28 Cases Cited: Ahmad v Ahmad [2002] NSWSC 579 Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Bowers v Bowers [2020] NSWSC 109 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Burke v Burke [2015] NSWCA 195 Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd v Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops Pty Ltd (No 4) [2006] FCA 446; (2006) 229 ALR 136 Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd v Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops Pty Ltd (2007) 159 FCR 397; [2007] FCAFC 70 Camernik v Reholc [2012] NSWSC 1537 Cameron v Cameron [2009] SASC 27 Carroll v Cowburn [2003] NSWSC 248 Chapple v Wilcox [2014] NSWCA 392 Coffey v Murrumbidgee Local Health District formerly known as Greater Murray Area Health Service [2018] NSWSC 1621 Collings v Vakas [2006] NSWSC 393 Cowap v Cowap [2019] NSWSC 1104 Cringle v Cringle [2018] NSWSC 1558 Curran v Harvey [2012] NSWSC 276 D H Singh v G K Singh [2015] NSWSC 1457 Dasreef Pty Limited v Hawchar (2011) 243 CLR 588; [2011] HCA 21 Edward Jones (a pseudonym) v Constance Smith (a pseudonym) [2016] VSCA 178 Evans v Levy [2010] NSWSC 504 Foye v Foye [2008] NSWSC 1305 Frederick & Frederick [2019] FamCAFC 87 Gail Patricia Stone v Michael John Stone [2019] NSWSC 233 Gersbach v Gersbach [2018] NSWSC 1685 Hampson v Hampson [2010] NSWCA 359 Henry v Hancock [2016] NSWSC 71 Honeysett v The Queen (2014) 253 CLR 122; [2014] HCA 29 In the Estate of the late Anthony Marras [2014] NSWSC 915 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Leary v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2017] NSWSC 1113 M v M (1988) 166 CLR 69; [1988] HCA 68 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705; [2001] NSWCA 305 Mayfield v Public Trustee [2009] NSWSC 330 Nagy v Marton [2014] NSWSC 540 Nicholas v Tubb [2016] TASSC 53 Nielsen v Kongspark [2019] NSWSC 1821 Page v Hull-Moody [2020] NSWSC 411 Page v Page [2016] NSWSC 1218 Parker v Payne [1976] 1 NSWLR 191 Penfold v Predny [2016] NSWSC 472 Re Estate McNamara [2018] NSWSC 1661 RHG Mortgage Limited v Rosario Ianni [2015] NSWCA 56 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Toscano v Toscano [2017] NSWSC 419 Towson v Francis [2017] NSWSC 1034 Tuite v The Queen (2015) 49 VR 196; [2015] VSCA 148 Underwood v Gaudron [2014] NSWSC 1055 Williamson v Williamson [2011] NSWSC 228 Wilson v Vine [2003] NSWSC 341 Woodleigh v Williams [2016] NSWSC 979 Zorbas v Sidiropoulous (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 197 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Jannette Dorothy Watton (Plaintiff) David John MacTaggart (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Bridger (Plaintiff) B Regener (Defendant)