Shymko v Lach [2022] NSWSC 1096

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Shymko v Lach [2022] NSWSC 1096 Hearing dates: 1 – 3 August 2022 Decision date: 18 August 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Meek J Decision: Proceedings dismissed. Parties to address on costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – Testamentary promise – claimed general and specific statements of inheritance – whether statements certain and enforceable – General statements vague and uncertain based on equality and fairness – No form of exchange of promises nor request of action – No intention to give rise to legal relations – Claimed historic specific statements not established – Frailty of memory ESTOPPEL – Equitable estoppel – Requirements – No clear and unequivocal representation – requirements of reliance – no evidence deceased aware of intended reliance or purported reliance – requirement of detrimental reliance – no substantial material disadvantage SUCCESSION – wills, probate and administration – validity of a will – whether undue influence – no evidence amounting to coercion SUCCESSION – family provision – structure of statutory scheme – requirements of dependency – requirements of factors warranting – reference point for assessing inadequacy of provision SUCCESSION – family provision – claim by granddaughters – strength of financial resources of granddaughters – strong competing claim of daughter who lived with deceased entire life – substantial care for deceased particularly in later years. Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 54A Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW), s 9 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 33 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 57, 59, 60, Ch 3 Testator's Family Maintenance and Guardianship of Infants Act 1916 (NSW) Trustee Act 1925 (NSW) Cases Cited: Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Ashton v Pratt (2015) 88 NSWLR 281; [2015] NSWCA 12 Ashton v Pratt (No. 2) [2012] NSWSC 3 Ball v Newey (1988) 13 NSWLR 489 Baltimore and Ohio RR Co v US 261 US 592 (1923) Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Bates v Cooke [2015] NSWCA 278 Blendell v Byrne [2019] NSWSC 583 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Boyce v Bunce [2015] NSWSC 1924 Brown v Faggoter [1998] NSWCA 44 Budden v The Public Trustee (Supreme Court (NSW), Needham J, 4 November 1986, unrep) Chan v Chan [2016] NSWCA 222; (2016) 15 ASTLR 317 Chapple v Wilcox (2014) 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 Chisak v Presot [2022] NSWCA 100 Churton v Christian (1988) 13 NSWLR 241 Clinch v Swift (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 13 October 1986, unrep) Commissioner of Taxation (Cth) v Spotless Services Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 404; [1996] HCA 34 Corcoran v Bizannes (Supreme Court (NSW), Needham J, 4 June 1985, unrep) Dijkhuijs (formerly Coney) v Barclay (1988) 13 NSWLR 639 Dillwyn v Llewelyn (1862) 4 De GF&J 517; 45 ER 1285 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54; (2009) 2 ASTLR 89 Empirnall Holdings Pty Ltd v Machon Paull Partners Pty Ltd (1988) 14 NSWLR 523 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community of SA Inc (2002) 209 CLR 95; [2002] HCA 8 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Visy Industries USA Pty Ltd (2012) 205 FCR 317; [2012] FCAFC 106 Fincke v US 675 F 2d 289 (1982) Gamer's Motor Centre (Newcastle) Pty Ltd v Natwest Wholesale Australia Pty Ltd (1985) 3 NSWLR 475 Georgopoulos v Tsiokanis [2022] NSWSC 563 Hope v Bathurst City Council (1980) 144 CLR 1; [1980] HCA 16 Horton v Jones (1935) 53 CLR 475; [1935] HCA 7 Hurst v Public Trustee [2000] NSWSC 1109 Integrated Computer Services Pty Ltd v Digital Equipment Corp (Aust) Pty Ltd (1988) 5 BPR 11,110 Kauri Timber Co (Tas) Pty Ltd v Reeman (1973) 128 CLR 177; [1973] HCA 8 Lodin v Lodin [2017] NSWCA 327; (2017) 16 ASTLR 576 Mallitt v Gow [2022] NSWSC 1012 Maloney v Goodwin (Supreme Court (NSW), Needham J, 1 August 1989, unrep) Maxwell v Maxwell [2022] NSWSC 1028 McKenzie v Baddeley [1991] NSWCA 197 Moore v Aubusson [2020] NSWSC 1466 Morgan v Bohm [2013] NSWSC 145 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas (2004) 218 CLR 451; [2004] HCA 35 Palmer v Bank of New South Wales (1975) 133 CLR 150; [1975] HCA 51 Petrohilos v Hunter (1991) 25 NSWLR 343 Pitkin v Henderson [2001] NSWSC 207 Placer Development Ltd v Commonwealth of Australia (1969) 121 CLR 353; [1969] HCA 29 Poletti v Jones [2015] NSWCA 107; (2015) 13 ASTLR 113 Porthouse v Bridge [2007] NSWSC 686 Ramsden v Dyson (1866) LR 1 HL 129 Re Fulop (deceased) (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 at 681D Samsley v Barnes [1990] NSWCA 161 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Shaw v Lambert (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 9 October 1987, unrep) Sidhu v Van Dyke (2014) 251 CLR 505; [2014] HCA 19 Simons v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd; Estate D Hakim [2005] NSWSC 223 Singer v Berghouse (No 2) (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Spata v Tumino (2018) 95 NSWLR 706; [2018] NSWCA 17 Steiner v Strang [2016] NSWSC 395 Strang v Steiner [2019] NSWCA 143 Sun v Chapman [2022] NSWCA 132 Van Dyke v Sidhu [2013] NSWCA 198; (2013) 301 ALR 769 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Vukic v Grbin [2006] NSWSC 41 Walton v ACN 004 410 833 Ltd (formerly Arrium Ltd) (In Liq) [2022] HCA 3; (2022) 399 ALR 1 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387; [1988] HCA 7 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Williams v Legg (Court of Appeal (NSW), 16 March 1993, unrep) Winter v Crichton (1991) 23 NSWLR 116 Texts Cited: Anna Lawson, "The things we do for love: detrimental reliance in the family home" (1996) 16 Legal Studies 218 JD Heydon and MJ Leeming, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia (8th ed, 2016, LexisNexis) JD Heydon, MJ Leeming and PG Turner, Meagher, Gummow and Lehane's Equity Doctrine & Remedies (5th ed, 2014, LexisNexis) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Natalie Shymko (First Plaintiff) Katherine Vella (Second Plaintiff) Mary Lach (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Pringle (Plaintiffs) K Morrissey (Defendant) Solicitors: CMM Quay Legal Group (Plaintiffs) Warren F. Ball & Co (Defendant) File Number(s): 2021/217653