Pollock v New South Wales Trustee & Guardian [2022] NSWSC 923

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Pollock v New South Wales Trustee & Guardian [2022] NSWSC 923 Hearing dates: 7, 8, 9 and 15 June 2022 Date of orders: 14 July 2022 Decision date: 14 July 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The Court: (1) Directs the parties, within 10 days, to provide, in hard and soft copy, Short Minutes of Order that reflect these reasons. (2) Orders that the proceedings be stood over for directions at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, 28 July 2022 to enable the determination of costs. (3) Orders that if agreement is reached, signed the Short Minutes of Order may be forwarded to the Court, for consideration, in Chambers, so that the orders proposed may be made, and entered, and the adjourned date vacated. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Family Provision – Claim by Plaintiff as a person with whom the deceased was living in a de facto relationship at the time of the deceased's death – Dispute as to this ground of eligibility –Question whether the de facto relationship had ended and, if so, when – No dispute that the Plaintiff was a member of the household of which the deceased was a member and that she was, at that time, partly dependent upon him – No dispute that having regard to all the circumstances of the case (whether past or present) there are factors which warrant the making of the application – On either basis of eligibility, no dispute that at the time when the Court is considering the application, adequate provision for the proper maintenance, education, or advancement in life of the Plaintiff has not been made by the Will of the deceased – Nature and quantum of the provision to be made for the Plaintiff Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 140(2) Family Law Act 1976 (Cth) s 4AA(1) Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 s 21C NSW Trustee and Guardian Act 2009 (NSW) ss 5, 6, Sch 1 par 3(1)(d) Succession Act 2006 (NSW) ss 3, 13, 55, 57-59, 60-61, 65-66, 72, 74-77, 83-84, 91 & 99 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Ashton v Pratt (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 3 Ballard v Multiplex [2012] NSWSC 426 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Borebor v Keane (2013) 11 ASTLR 96; [2013] VSC 35 Bowyer v Wood (2007) 99 SASR 190; [2007] SASC 327 Crabtree v Crabtree (1963) 5 FLR 307 Dakin v Sansbury [2010] FMCAfam 628 Dion v Rieser [2010] NSWSC 50 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Estate of the Late Shirley Joan Violet Gardner; Bernengo v Leaney [2019] NSWSC 1324 Estate Pamplin; Irwin v Pamplin [2017] NSWSC 1477 Evans v Braddock [2015] NSWSC 249 Gestmin SGPS SA v Credit Suisse (UK) Ltd [2013] EWHC 3560 (Comm) Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490; [1980] HCA 31 H v P [2011] WASCA 78 Hayes v Marquis [2008] NSWCA 10 Hibberson v George (1989) 12 Fam LR 725; [1989] NSWCA 100 Hooper v Winton [2002] NSWSC 1071 Hopes v Hopes [1949] P 227 Howland v Ellis [2001] NSWCA 456 Hughes v St Barbara Mines Ltd [No 4] [2010] WASC 160 in Lewis v Warner [2016] 3 WLR 1545; [2016] EWHC 1787 (Ch) In the Estate of Puckridge, Deceased (1978) 20 SASR 72 In the matter of Kit Digital Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) [2014] NSWSC 1547 Ingamells v Western Australian Trustees Ltd (Supreme Court (WA), 5 March 1993, unrep) Jonah & White (2011) 258 FLR 236; (2011) 45 Fam LR 460 Kogan v Martin [2019] EWCA Civ 1645 Lachaux v Lachaux [2017] 4 WLR 57; [2017] EWHC 385 (Fam) Light v Anderson [1992] NSWCA 136 Longman v R (1989) 168 CLR 79; [1989] HCA 60 Lynam v Director General of Social Security (1983) 52 ALR 128 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566; [1957] HCA 82 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Angkawijaya (2016) 236 FCR 303; [2016] FCAFC 5 Na v Tiu (No 2) [2017] FamCAFC 269 Nguyen v Cosmopolitan Homes [2008] NSWCA 246 Nominal Defendant v Smith [2015] NSWCA 339 Onassis and Calegoropoulos v Vergottis [1968] 2 Lloyd's Rep 403 Petersen v Gregory; Estate Glenn Alfred Petersen [2007] NSWSC 8 Piras v Egan [2008] NSWCA 59 Plunkett v Bull (1915) 19 CLR 544; [1915] HCA 14 Quijarro v Robson [2008] NSWSC 818 Re Dennis (Deceased) [1981] 2 All ER 140 Richardson v Armistead [2000] VSC 551 Robson v Quijarro [2009] NSWCA 365 S v B (No 2) [2005] 1 Qd R 537; (2004) 32 Fam LR 429; [2004] QCA 449 Sadiq v New South Wales Trustee and Guardian [2015] NSWSC 716 Sadiq v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2016] HCASL 180 Sadiq v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2016] NSWCA 62 Saravinovska v Saravinovski (No 6) [2016] NSWSC 964 Schneider v Kemeny; Kemeny v Schneider [2021] NSWSC 524 Scragg v Scott (2006) 25 FRNZ 942; [2006] NZFLR 1076 Simonis v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd (1987) 21 NSWLR 677 Smoje v Forrester [2017] NSWCA 308 Smyth & Pappas [2011] FamCA 434 Sun v Chapman (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1231 SZOXP v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2015) 231 FCR 1; [2015] FCAFC 69 Thomas v The Times Book Co [1966] 2 All ER 241; [1966] 1 WLR 911 Vaughan v Hoskovich [2010] NSWSC 706 Warner v Hung, in the matter of Bellpac Pty Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (In Liquidation) (No 2) (2011) 297 ALR 56; [2011] FCA 1123 Webb v Ryan [2012] VSC 377 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon (2003) 200 ALR 447; (2003) 77 ALJR 1598; [2003] HCA 48 Ye v Fung [2006] NSWSC 243 Zahra v Francica [2009] NSWSC 1206 Texts Cited: P McClellan, "Who Is Telling the Truth? Psychology, Common Sense and the Law" (2006) 80 ALJ 655 Shorter Oxford Dictionary (2007, 6th ed) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Christine Winifred Pollock (Plaintiff) NSW Trustee & Guardian (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: P Wallis (Plaintiff) L Ellison SC and Ms A Djukanovic (Defendant)