Brown v Brown (No 2) [2023] NSWSC 7

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Brown v Brown (No 2) [2023] NSWSC 7 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 23 January 2023 Decision date: 23 January 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Family Provision List Before: Henry J Decision: (1) Order 2 of the orders made by Henry J on 14 June 2022 be set aside and the following order be made in substitution: (a) Subject to any costs orders already made in the proceedings, the plaintiff shall pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings on the ordinary basis, capped at the sum of $50,000, as agreed or assessed. (2) Each party is to bear their own costs of the applications for costs which is the subject of these reasons. Catchwords: COSTS – succession – claim by adult plaintiff for family provision – no provision orders – where defendant applies for indemnity costs – where plaintiff applies for each party to pay costs or cap on costs – Calderbank offers – Offers of Compromise – UCPR rr 20.26 and 42.15A – whether the Court should "otherwise order" – whether rejection of Calderbank offer unreasonable – impecuniosity – significant adverse impact on financial position – size of the estate – conduct of the hearing – indemnity costs not ordered – plaintiff is to pay defendant's costs on the ordinary basis – cap on costs made Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3, ss 59, 65, 99 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 (NSW), s 5 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26, 42.1, 42.13, 42.13A, 42.15A, 42.20 Cases Cited: Ballam & Ors v Ferro & Anor (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1358 Bassett v Bassett [2021] NSWCA 320 Bates v Cooke (No 2) [2014] NSWSC 1322 Brown v Brown (Supreme Court (NSW), Henry J, 2 February 2022, unrep) Brown v Brown [2022] NSWSC 1393 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 WLR 586; [1975] 3 All ER 333 Chapple v Wilcox (2014) 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 Daniels v Hall (No 2) [2014] WASC 272 Haertsch v Whiteway (No 2) [2020] NSWCA 287 Harris v Carter [2020] NSWSC 196 Houatchanthara v Bednarczyk [1996] NSWCA 253 Leach v The Nominal Defendant (QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd) (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 391; (2014) 18 ANZ Insurance Cases 62-049 Meres v Meres (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 523 Miwa Pty Ltd v Siantan Properties Pte Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 344 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72; [1998] HCA 11 Page v Hull-Moody [2020] NSWSC 411 Perisher Blue Pty Ltd v Nair-Smith (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 268 Regency Media Pty Ltd v AAV Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 368 Salmon v Osmond [2015] NSWCA 42; (2015) 14 ASTLR 442 Sarant v Sarant (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 1897 Sassoon v Rose [2013] NSWCA 220 Schneider v Kemeny; Kemeny v Schneider (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 664 Sherborne Estate (No 2): Vanvalen & Anor v Neaves & Anor; Gilroy v Neaves & Anor (2005) 65 NSWLR 268; [2005] NSWSC 1003 Underwood v Underwood [2009] QSC 107; (2009) 4 ASTLR 150 Wheatley v Lakshmanan (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 851 YWCA Australia v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 102 Texts Cited: Practice Note SC Eq 7 Category: Costs Parties: David Brown (Plaintiff) Robert Frank Brown (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M J Henry (Plaintiff) S K Hill (Defendant)