Ballam & Ors v Ferro & Anor [2022] NSWSC 1200

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Ballam & Ors v Ferro & Anor [2022] NSWSC 1200 Hearing dates: 31 May, 1-3 June 2022 Date of orders: 7 September 2022 Decision date: 07 September 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: See Paragraphs [29] and [52] The proceedings are adjourned to 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, 14 September 2022, or such other date as is agreed at the date of these reasons being delivered. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Probate and family provision claims – Proceedings commenced by three Plaintiffs, each seeking a family provision order under the Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3, as adult grandchildren of the deceased – Defendants file Cross-Claim for grant of Probate in solemn form of Will made by deceased in 2012 – Plaintiffs put Cross-Claimants to proof of the validity of the 2012 Will including whether it was duly executed – Whether the deceased had testamentary capacity at the time he gave instructions for, and executed, the last Will made in 2012 – Whether the deceased knew and approved of the terms of the 2012 Will – Whether suspicious circumstances – No dispute that if 2012 Will not the last valid Will of the deceased that probate in solemn form should be granted to the Defendants/Cross-Claimants of duly executed Will made by the deceased in 2005 In family provision claims, the Defendants dispute eligibility of Plaintiffs – Whether each of the Plaintiffs wholly or partly dependent on the deceased – No dispute, if each Plaintiff is an eligible person that there are factors warranting the making of application – No dispute that if eligibility and factors warranting proved, then adequate and proper provision not made in the Will of the deceased for each applicant – Then, whether order for provision ought to be made and, if so, the nature and quantum of the provision to be made POWERS OF ATTORNEY ACT 1998 (Qld) – Late application by Plaintiffs for amendment to proceedings or otherwise – Application opposed – Plaintiffs commence separate proceedings in Court by Statement of Claim seeking compensation pursuant to s 107 of the Powers of Attorney Act 1998 (Qld) out of estate of the deceased – Where the Supreme Court of Queensland may compensate the Plaintiffs out of the principal's estate in an amount "the court considers appropriate" – Question whether the proceedings should be determined in New South Wales as part of these proceedings – Late agreement that if 2012 Will found to be the last valid Will these proceedings should be dismissed Legislation Cited: Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995 (NSW) s 49(2) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 56, 61 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) s 163B Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 140(1) Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Land Act 1994 (Qld) Land Title Act 1994 (Qld) Powers of Attorney Act 1998 (Qld) s 107 Succession Act 1981 (Qld) s 41(8) Succession Act 2006 (NSW) Ch 3, ss 3(1), 6, 48(1), 57(1), 58, 59(1)(b), 61(1), 63(5), 84, 99(1) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) Pt 78, r 66 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 13.4, 14.28 Cases Cited: Afoa v McBride [2017] NSWCA 323 Anderson v Teboneras [1990] VR 527; [1990] VicRp 47 Barns v Barns (2003) 214 CLR 169; [2003] HCA 9 Battenberg v Phillips [2020] NSWCA 249 Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154 Blendell v Byrne [2019] NSWSC 583 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Burnside v Mulgrew; Re the Estate of Doris Grabrovaz [2007] NSWSC 550 Carey v Robson; Nicholls 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 Chisak v Presot [2021] NSWSC 597 Chisak v Presot [2022] NSWCA 100 Churton v Christian (1988) 13 NSWLR 241; [1988] NSWCA 23 Container Terminals Australia Ltd v Huseyin [2008] NSWCA 320 Easterbrook v Young (1977) 136 CLR 308; [1977] HCA 16 Estate Kouvakas; Lucas v Konakas [2014] NSWSC 786 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Forsyth v Sinclair (No 2) (2010) 28 VR 635; [2010] VSCA 195 Gill v Woodall [2011] Ch 380; [2010] EWCA Civ 1430 Harkness v Harkness (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 35 In the Estate of Musgrove; Davis v Mayhew [1927] P 264 Jones v Jones [2014] NSWSC 960 Khadarou v Antarakis [2022] NSWCA 99 Kyros v Stavrakis [2009] NSWSC 163 Lim v Lim [2022] NSWSC 454 Limberger v Limberger; Oakman v Limberger [2021] NSWSC 474 Lodin v Lodin (2017) 16 ASTLR 576; [2017] NSWCA 327 Matthews v Wear [2011] NSWSC 1145 McKenzie v Baddeley [1991] NSWCA 197 Morrison v Carruthers [2010] NSWSC 430 Oxley v Oxley [2018] NSWSC 91 Page v Hull-Moody [2020] NSWSC 411 Petrovski v Nasev; Estate of Janakievska [2011] NSWSC 1275 Phillips v Phillips; Phillips bht NSW Trustee & Guardian v Phillips [2017] NSWSC 280 Poletti v Jones (2015) 13 ASTLR 113; [2015] NSWCA 7107 Power v Smart [2018] WASC 168 Re Burt [1988] 1 Qd R 23 Re Estate of Griffith (dec'd); Easter v Griffith (1995) 217 ALR 284 Re Fulop deceased; Fulop v Public Trustee; Bide v Public Trustee (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Re R [1950] 2 All ER 117; [1951] P 10 Robertson v Barker [2021] NSWSC 1682 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Scarpuzza v Scarpuzza (2011) 4 ASTLR 244; [2011] WASC 65 Simoes v Kel Campbell Pty Ltd; Simoes v Moon [2018] NSWCA 284 Smart v Power [2019] WASCA 106 Spata v Tumino (2018) 95 NSWLR 706; [2018] NSWCA 17 Sun v Chapman [2022] NSWCA 132 The Estate of Milan Zlatevski; Geroksa v Zlatevski [2020] NSWSC 250 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Veall v Veall (2015) 13 ASTLR 462; [2015] VSCA 60 Wharton v Bancroft [2011] EWHC 3250 (Ch) Wilcox v Wilcox [2012] NSWSC 1138 Worth v Clasohm (1952) 86 CLR 439; [1952] HCA 67 Yee v Yee [2017] NSWCA 305 Zorbas v Sidiropoulous (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 197 Texts Cited: G L Certoma, The Law of Succession in New South Wales (4th ed, 2010, Lawbook Co) Leslie G Handler and Richard Neal, Mason and Handler Succession Law and Practice NSW (LexisNexis Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Maree-Marcelle Ballam (first Plaintiff) Claudia Puglia (second Plaintiff) Benjamin Puglia (third Plaintiff) Carmelina Ferro (first Defendant) Daniela Cantale (second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: L Ellison SC (Plaintiffs) T Alexis SC with S Speirs (Defendants)