Semitecolos v Semitecolos [2021] NSWSC 1508

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Semitecolos v Semitecolos [2021] NSWSC 1508 Hearing dates: 20 - 21 October 2021 Date of orders: 23 November 2021 Decision date: 23 November 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The Court: (1) Directs the parties, within 10 days, to provide to the Court in hard and soft copy, Short Minutes of Order that reflect these reasons (2) Orders that the proceedings be stood over for directions at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 8 December 2021 to enable the determination of costs Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Construction of deceased's Will - Administration - Effect of testamentary dispositions - Whether direction to pay debts and testamentary expenses displaces s 46C(2) of the Probate and Administration Act 1898 or whether the section inapplicable because of terms of the Will SUCCESSION – Family Provision – Claim by adult child of the deceased for provision under Ch 3 of the Succession Act – No dispute as to eligibility under s 57(1)(c) of the Act – Provision made for Plaintiff in the last Will of the deceased – No competing financial claim of the Defendant, and his sister, both of whom are also adult children of the deceased – Whether the Plaintiff was left without adequate provision for his proper maintenance and advancement in life – Whether an order for provision should be made for his proper maintenance and advancement in life and, if so, in what amount – Provision to be made for the Plaintiff in lieu of the provision made for him in the deceased's Will Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 60 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) s 145 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) ss 46, 46C, 86 Succession Act 2006 (NSW) ss 57-61, 63, 84, 88 Cases Cited: Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154 Blendell v Byrne [2019] NSWSC 583 Borebor v Keane (2013) 11 ASTLR 96; [2013] VSC 35 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Bowyer v Wood (2007) 99 SASR 190; [2007] SASC 327 Burke v Burke (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 195 Chapple v Wilcox [2014] 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 Ebert v Healey [1969] 2 NSWR 68 Estate of Aspasia Kandros [2019] NSWSC 757 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Fulton v Fulton [2014] NSWSC 619 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Heyward v Fisher (Court of Appeal (NSW), Kirby P, 26 April 1985, unrep) Ibrahim v Nasr [2021] NSWSC 1321 Joyce v Cam (2004) 12 BPR 22, 231; [2004] NSWSC 621 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Limberger v Limberger; Oakman v Limberger [2021] NSWSC 474 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 North v Daniel [2021] NSWSC 828 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9 Re Healey Deceased; Ebert v Healey [1968] 2 NSWR 35 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Singer v United Israel Appeal Refugee Relief Fund & Ors [2013] NSWSC 1035 Smith v Johnson [2015] NSWCA 297 Steinmetz v Shannon (2019) 99 NSWLR 687; [2019] NSWCA 114 Sung v Malaxos [2015] NSWSC 186 Thomas v Pickering; Byrne v Pickering [2011] NSWSC 572 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Yee v Yee [2017] NSWCA 305 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ven John Semitecolos (Plaintiff) Jason Troy Semitecolos (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: C Simpson (Plaintiff) D Moujalli (Defendant)