O’Donnell v O’Donnell [2022] NSWSC 1742

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: O'Donnell v O'Donnell [2022] NSWSC 1742 Hearing dates: 11 – 29 October 2021; 25 March 2022 Decision date: 16 December 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Robb J Decision: See [545] – [547] below Catchwords: SUCCESSION — family provision — jurisdiction —deceased's spouse makes family provision applications in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory — whether deceased domiciled in New South Wales or Australian Capital Territory at date of death — consideration of principles governing domicile under private international law — deceased dies with moderately large actual estate but potentially substantial notional estate held by discretionary trust and corporate entities — availability of notional estate regime under Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Pt 3.3 where deceased found to have been domiciled outside New South Wales at date of death SUCCESSION — family provision — claim by spouse for provision from the deceased's estate or notional estate under Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3 — alternative claim by partner for provision from the deceased's estate under Family Provision Act 1969 (ACT), s 8 — plaintiff fourth wife of deceased left with no provision under deceased's will — deceased leaves statutory declaration expressing reasons for excluding plaintiff — whether adequate and proper provision made for the plaintiff and, if not, the nature and quantum of the provision to be made — plaintiff entitled to entirety of deceased's actual estate subject to payment of any costs orders SUCCESSION — administration of estates — devastavit — consideration of principles — whether mere applicant for family provision has standing to bring devastavit claim SUCCESSION — family provision — claims by alleged members of household and dependants of the deceased for provision from the deceased's estate or notional estate under Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3 — applications by two children of person with whom deceased had a domestic relationship — applications fail because of finding that deceased had domicile outside New South Wales — whether plaintiffs otherwise eligible persons under Succession Act 2006 (NSW), s 57(1)(e) — whether plaintiffs otherwise establish factors warranting applications FAMILY LAW — claim by domestic partner of deceased to vary or set aside order under Domestic Relationships Act 1994 (ACT), s 28 — whether settlement agreement and consequential court orders affected by miscarriage of justice because of fraud or suppression of evidence or any other circumstance Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Constitution, Ch III Domestic Relationships Act 1994 (ACT), ss 3, 13, 14, 15, 28 Domicile Act 1979 (NSW), ss 6, 9, 11 Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), Pt VIIIAB Div 2, ss 4AA, 79, 90RD, 90SM Family Provision Act 1969 (ACT), ss 7, 8, 9 Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW), ss 9, 22 Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth), Div 7A Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1993 (ACT), s 5 Legislation Act 2001 (ACT), s 169 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 11, 47 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3, Pt 3.3, Pt 3.3 Div 3, ss 3, 57, 58, 59, 60, 63, 64, 71, 75, 76, 77, 80, 83, 84, 86, 87, 88, 89, 95 Cases Cited: Application of Perpetual Trustee Company Ltd; Re: Estate of the late Evelyn Mary Dempsey [2016] NSWSC 159 Ball v Newey (1988) 13 NSWLR 489 Bassett v Bassett [2021] NSWCA 320 Bird v Bird (No 4) [2012] NSWSC 648 Bird v Bird [2013] NSWCA 262; (2013) 11 ASTLR 225 Chisak v Presot [2022] NSWCA 100 Commissioner of Stamp Duties (Qld) v Livingston (1964) 112 CLR 12; [1965] AC 694 DJ Singh v DH Singh [2018] NSWCA 30 Evans v Evans (1910) 10 SR (NSW) 594 Fremlin v Fremlin (1913) 16 CLR 212; [1913] HCA 25 Gaines-Cooper v Commissioners for HM Revenue and Customs [2007] EWHC 2617 (Ch) Grant v Roberts; Smith v Smith; Roberts v Smith; Curtis v Smith [2019] NSWSC 843 Harris v Caladine (1991) 172 CLR 84; [1991] HCA 9 Hitchcock v Pratt (2010) 79 NSWLR 687; [2010] NSWSC 1508 In re Cartier, Deceased [1952] SASR 280 In re Jennery, dec'd, Jennery v Jennery [1967] Ch 280 In re Olson (Deceased), Treadwell v Public Trustee [1944] NZLR 778 In the Estate of Fuld, dec'd (No 3) (1968) P 675 In the Marriage of Ferrier-Watson v McElrath (2000) 26 Fam LR 169; [2000] FamCA 219 In the Marriage of M P and M J Suiker (1993) 17 Fam LR 236 Kavalee v Burbidge (1998) 43 NSWLR 422 Lieberman v Morris (1944) 69 CLR 69; [1944] HCA 13 Limberger v Limberger; Oakman v Limberger [2021] NSWSC 474 LK v Director-General, Department of Community Services (2009) 237 CLR 582; [2009] HCA 9 Lodin v Lodin [2017] NSWCA 327 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566; [1957] HCA 82 Norton v Locke (2013) 50 Fam LR 517; [2013] FamCAFC 202 Petrohilos v Hunter (1991) 25 NSWLR 343 Plummer v Inland Revenue Commissioners [1988] 1 All ER 97 Potter v Minahan (1908) 7 CLR 277; [1908] HCA 63 Purnell v Tindale [2020] NSWSC 746 Re Fulop Deceased (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Singer v Berghouse (No 2) (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Skinner v Frappell [2008] NSWCA 296 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Spata v Tumino (2018) 95 NSWLR 706; [2018] NSWCA 17 Steinmetz v Shannon (2019) 99 NSWLR 687; [2019] NSWCA 114 Stone v Stone [2019] NSWSC 233 Sun v Chapman [2022] NSWCA 132 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 The Estate of Thiess; Brinkman v Johnston (Supreme Court (NSW), Hodgson J, 4 February 1994, unrep) Treadtel International Pty Ltd v Cocco [2016] NSWCA 360; (2016) 117 ACSR 176 Udny v Udny (1869) LR 1 Sc & Div 441 Wardy v Salier [2014] NSWSC 473 Wentworth v Wentworth (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 4 September 1991, unrep (BC9101598)) Yesilhat v Calokerinos [2021] NSWCA 110 Texts Cited: P L G Brereton, "Where Death and Divorce Meet: The Intersection of Family Provision and Family Law" (Speech, National Family Law Conference, October 2006) R F Croucher, "Towards uniform succession in Australia" (2009) 83 ALJ 728 G E Dal Pont and K F Mackie, Law of Succession (2nd ed, 2017, LexisNexis Butterworths) J de Groot and B Nickel, Family Provision in Australia (6th ed, 2021, LexisNexis) J R Martyn and N Caddick, Williams, Mortimer and Sunnucks on Executors, Administrators and Probate (20th ed, 2013, Sweet & Maxwell) N Perram, "The origins and present operation of the action in devastavit" [2012] FedJSchol 23 Tasmanian Law Reform Institute, Final Report No. 27: Should Tasmania Introduce Notional Estate Laws? (September 2019) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Proceedings 2019/120911 Kalpana O'Donnell (Plaintiff) Jaimie Francis John O'Donnell (First Defendant) Vanessa Channon (Second Defendant) Laura O'Donnell (Third Defendant) Ashley O'Donnell (Fourth Defendant) Evenlong Pty Ltd (Fifth Defendant) Duboti Pty Ltd (Sixth Defendant)