O’Connor & Ors v Griffis [2022] NSWSC 197

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: O'Connor & Ors v Griffis [2022] NSWSC 197 Hearing dates: 14 and 15 February 2022 Date of orders: 15 February 2022 Decision date: 04 March 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity - Duty List Before: Henry J Decision: Caveat extended until further order upon the undertaking proffered by the plaintiffs as to damages Catchwords: LAND LAW — Caveats — Extension of operation of caveat — whether serious question to be tried that beneficiary under a will has equitable interest in specified property — where property to be held on trust for beneficiaries subject to right to reside — whether executorial functions completed and property transmitted — where claims of fraudulent breach of trust by trustee by transferring interest in property to defendant as joint tenant and mortgaging property — whether serious question to be tried that caveator has mere equity or interest based on constructive trust — balance of convenience factors — extension granted until further order Legislation Cited: Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Real Property Regulation 2019 (NSW) Cases Cited: 1190 Pacific Highway Pty Ltd v Link Start Pty Ltd [2021] NSWSC 671 Cassegrain v Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Limited (2015) 254 CLR 425; [2015] HCA 2 Circuit Finance Pty Ltd v Crown & Gleeson Securities Pty Ltd (2006) NSW ConvR 56-143; [2005] NSWSC 997 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (Qld) v Livingston (1964) 112 CLR 12 Dean and Westham Holdings Pty Ltd v Lloyd (1991) 3 WAR 235 Gangemi v Gangemi [2009] WASC 195 Global Minerals Australia Pty Ltd v Valerica Pty Ltd [2000] NSWSC 1143 Hanson Construction Materials Pty Ltd v Roberts (2016) 93 NSWLR 1; [2016] NSWCA 240 In the Will of Orloff (Deceased) (2010) 24 VR 603 Mayrin DM Pty Ltd v Kaiyu Deng [2019] NSWSC 1552 Mijo Developments Pty Limited v Royal Agnes Waters Pty Limited [2007] NSWSC 199 Official Receiver in Bankruptcy v Schutz (1990) 170 CLR 306; [1990] HCA 45 Pagels v MacDonald (1936) 54 CLR 519 Porteous v Rinehart (1998) 19 WAR 495 Re Pile's Caveats [1981] Qd R 81 Smith v Smith [2016] NSWSC 1287 Stokes v Churchill & Ors (1994) NSW ConvR 55-694 Surfers Paradise Investments Pty Limited v United Investments Pty Limited [1997] QSC 179 Texts Cited: Brendan Edgeworth, Butt's Land Law (7th ed, 2017, Thomson Reuters) J D Heydon and M J Leeming, Jacob's Law of Trusts in Australia (8th ed, 2016, LexisNexis Australia) Peter Butt, Land Law (6th ed, 2010, Law Book Co) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Estelle May O'Connor (First Plaintiff) June Anne Griffis (Second Plaintiff) Marilyn Joan Griffis (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S Murray (Plaintiffs) D M Jay (Defendant)