Sarant v Sarant [2020] NSWSC 1686

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sarant v Sarant [2020] NSWSC 1686 Hearing dates: 20 – 21 October 2020 Date of orders: 26 November 2020 Decision date: 26 November 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The Court: 1. Stands the matter over until 9:00 a.m. on 15 December 2020 to enable the parties to reach agreement on the form of orders, including the order for costs. 2. Directs, if agreement cannot be reached within 7 days of the delivery of reasons, that each party deliver to the Court, within 10 days thereafter, written submissions, in hard and soft copy, comprising no more than 5 pages in length, setting out the orders sought and the basis for the making of that order. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Family provision order sought by Plaintiff widower of the deceased – Marriage of 48 years, although separation under one roof, 4 years before the deceased's death – Estate comprising one half interest as tenants in common in matrimonial home of the deceased and Plaintiff, in which Plaintiff and deceased had lived for about 38 years – No provision for husband in the Will of the deceased – Provision only made for two adult children of the marriage – Antipathy between the children and the Plaintiff – Reasonable estate in value – Financial resources of the Plaintiff considered – Whether Plaintiff has been left without adequate provision for his proper maintenance and advancement in life – Obligation of the deceased towards surviving spouse – Nature of provision to be made – Whether absolute interest, life estate, Crisp order, or other form of provision should be made – Competing claim of each of the adult children of the deceased and the Plaintiff – Provision to be made for Plaintiff by way of absolute interest subject to conditions – Alternative relief if conditions not met – Costs of proceedings significant – Unable to determine costs as offers said to have been made that may be relevant Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), ss 66F, 66G Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules 2015 (NSW), rr 23, 42 Practice Note SC Eq 7, par 6(b) Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), s 86 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 97 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 3, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 65, 66, 72, 84, 99 Testator's Family Maintenance and Guardianship of Infants Act 1916 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson (2010) 6 ASTLR 432; [2010] NSWCA 176 Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Aroney v Aroney (Supreme Court (NSW), McLelland J, 26 July 1988, unrep) Balfour v Balfour [1919] 2 KB 571; [1918-19] All ER 860 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Bkassini v Sarkis [2017] NSWSC 1487 Bladwell v Davis [2004] NSWCA 170 Blendell v Blendell; Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154 Boettcher v Driscoll (2014) 119 SASR 523; [2014] SASC 86 Borebor v Keane (2013) 11 ASTLR 96; [2013] VSC 35 Bowyer v Wood (2007) 99 SASR 190; [2007] SASC 327 Brown v New South Wales Trustee and Guardian (2012) 10 ASTLR 164; [2012] NSWCA 431 Burke v Burke (No 2) (2015) 13 ASTLR 313; [2015] NSWCA 195 Carey v Robson (No 2) [2009] NSWSC 1199 Chan v Chan (2016) 15 ASTLR 317; [2016] NSWCA 222 Chapple v Wilcox (2014) 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 Clune v Collins Angus & Robertson Publishers Pty Ltd (1992) 25 IPR 246; [1992] FCA 503 Cohen v Cohen (1929) 42 CLR 91; [1929] HCA 15 Court v Hunt (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 14 September 1987, unrep) Cowap v Cowap [2020] NSWCA 19 Crisp v Burns Philp Trustee Company Ltd (Supreme Court (NSW), 18 December 1979, unrep) Darmanin v Cowan [2010] NSWSC 1118 Day v Couch [2000] NSWSC 230 de Angelis v de Angelis [2003] VSC 432 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) (2007) 35 WAR 127; [2007] WASCA 235 Diver v Neal (2009) 2 ASTLR 89; [2009] NSWCA 54 Easterbrook v Young (1977) 136 CLR 308; [1977] HCA 16 Edgar v Public Trustee for the Northern Territory [2011] NTSC 5 Elliott v Elliott (Court of Appeal (NSW), 24 April 1986, unrep) Elliott v Elliott (Supreme Court (NSW), 18 May 1984, unrep) Estate of Joan Esme Little and the Succession Act 2006 [2015] NSWSC 1913 Eyota Pty Ltd v Hanave Pty Ltd (1994) 12 ACSR 785 Ferella v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2015) 13 ABC(NS) 452; [2015] NSWCA 411 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Forsyth v Sinclair (No 2) (2010) 28 VR 635; [2010] VSCA 195 Foundas v Arambatzis [2020] NSWCA 47 Gardiner v Gardiner (Supreme Court (NSW), 28 May 1998, unrep) Golosky v Golosky (Court of Appeal (NSW), Kirby P, 5 October 1993, unrep) Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490; [1980] HCA 31 Goodsell v Wellington [2011] NSWSC 1232 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hampson v Hampson (2010) 5 ASTLR 116; [2010] NSWCA 359 Harkness v Harkness (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 35 Harvey v Delaney [2003] NSWSC 589 Heyward v Fisher (Court of Appeal (NSW), Kirby P, 26 April 1985, unrep) Hoffmann v Hoffmann (1909) 29 NZLR 425 Hunter v Hunter (1987) 8 NSWLR 573 In the Marriage of Aleksovski (1996) 135 FLR 131; (1996) 20 Fam LR 894 In the Matter of the will of G.G. Sitch (deceased) [2005] VSC 308 Jones v Padavatton [1969] 1 WLR 328; [1968] EWCA Civ 4 Kalmar v Kalmar [2006] NSWSC 437 Kardos v Sarbutt (No 2) [2006] NSWCA 206 Kembrey v Cuskelly [2008] NSWSC 262 Lado Causillas v NSW Trustee and Guardian; Bentancor Lado v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2015] NSWSC 1204 Langtry v Campbell (Supreme Court (NSW), Powell J, 7 March 1991, unrep) Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534; [1990] HCA 59 Liprini v Liprini [2008] NSWSC 423 Marinis v Jeweller [2000] NSWCA 282 Marshall v Carruthers; Marshall v Marshall [2002] NSWCA 47 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566; [1957] HCA 82 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 Milillo v Konnecke (2009) 2 ASTLR 235; [2009] NSWCA 109 Miller v Miller; McFarlane v McFarlane [2006] 2 AC 618; [2006] UKHL 24 Moore v Moore (Court of Appeal (NSW), Hutley JA, 16 May 1984, unrep) Norbis v Norbis (1986) 161 CLR 513; [1986] HCA 17 O'Leary v O'Leary & Eccles [2010] NSWSC 1347 Palagiano v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Papas v Co [2018] NSWSC 1404 Permanent Trustee Co Ltd v Fraser (1995) 36 NSWLR 24 Plunkett v Bull (1915) 19 CLR 544; [1915] HCA 14 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9; [1962] HCA 19 R (on the application of M) v Slough Borough Council [2008] 1 WLR 1808; [2008] UKHL 52 R v Ulcay [2008] 1 WLR 1209; [2007] EWCA Crim 2379 Re Clissold (deceased) [1970] 2 NSWR 619 Re Hodgson; Beckett v Ramsdale (1886) 31 Ch D 177 Re Meier (deceased) [1976] 1 NZLR 257 Re Mercer (deceased) [1977] 1 NZLR 469 Re Schlink; Keane v Corns [2020] VSC 180 Re Stojanovska; Stojevski v Stojevski [2020] VSC 702 Richard v AXA Trustees Ltd [2000] VSC 341 Robertson v Pearce [2010] NSWSC 124 Sam Wardy v Gordon Salier; William Wardy v Gordon Salier; Hassiba Wardy v Estate of late Edmond Wadih Wardy, developer and Ch 3 of the Succession Act 2006 [2014] NSWSC 473 Sellers v Scrivenger [2010] VSC 320 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Shannon v Steinmetz [2019] HCASL 332 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Smith v Johnson (2015) 14 ASTLR 175; [2015] NSWCA 297 South Australia v Commonwealth (1962) 108 CLR 130; [1962] HCA 10 Steinmetz v Shannon (2019) 99 NSWLR 687; [2019] NSWCA 114 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Sung v Malaxos [2015] NSWSC 186 The Auckland City Mission v Brown [2002] 2 NZLR 650; [2002] NZCA 33 Thomas v SMP (International) Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 822 Varma v Varma (2010) 6 ASTLR 152; [2010] NSWSC 786 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Vukic v Luca Grbin; Estate of Zvonko Grbin [2006] NSWSC 41 Walker v Walker (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 17 May 1996, unrep) Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Webb v Ryan [2012] VSC 377 Weeks v Hrubala [2008] NSWSC 162 White v Barron (1980) 144 CLR 431; [1980] HCA 14 Worladge v Doddridge (1957) 97 CLR 1; [1957] HCA 45 Yee v Yee [2017] NSWCA 305 Texts Cited: Les Handler, Richard Neal and Michael Handler, Mason and Handler Succession Law and Practice NSW (2020, LexisNexis) Rosalind Atherton, "The Concept of Moral Duty in the Law of Family Provision – A Gloss or Critical Understanding?" (1999) 5(1) Australian Journal of Legal History 5 Category: Principal judgment Parties: George Sarant (Plaintiff)