Wild v Meduri & Ors; Meduri & Anor v Neal & Anor; Meduri v Meduri & Ors [2023] NSWSC 113

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Wild v Meduri & Ors; Meduri & Anor v Neal & Anor; Meduri v Meduri & Ors [2023] NSWSC 113 Hearing dates: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 21 November, 6, 7, 8, 13 December 2022 Date of orders: 23 February 2023 Decision date: 23 February 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The parties shall be given the opportunity to consider these reasons. During the period between the delivery of the reasons, consideration should also be given to the issue of costs and if that issue cannot be resolved how best to proceed with the determination of that issue in accordance with s 56 of the Civil Procedure Act. During that period also, the parties should consider the form of orders, other than any orders for costs, so that upon the return date, the duration of any costs hearing, and any other procedural, or other, disputes that then exist may be determined. Each of the proceedings will be adjourned to a date to be agreed by the parties, and convenient to the Court, when these reasons are published, solely for the purpose of determining how much additional time will be required and to enable the parties to agree upon the orders to be made (other than any orders for costs). Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE — Hearings — Three separate proceedings, each seeking different relief and involving the same estate — Agreement by parties that all proceedings should be heard consecutively, with the evidence in one being evidence in the other — Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 28.5 — Proceedings involve "a common question" and otherwise "desirable to make an order" under the rule — Order that proceedings be heard consecutively LEGAL PRACTITIONERS — Undesirability of solicitor acting for a party when he, or she, is a material witness in proceedings — Question whether risk posed to the administration of justice when solicitor formerly on record is also a witness — Need to protect the administration of justice SUCCESSION — Contested probate — Lack of testamentary capacity and lack of knowledge and approval asserted — Suspicious circumstances — Application of the test in Banks v Goodfellow —Consideration of evidence of the solicitor to whom instructions given — No contemporaneous file notes available due to destruction of the Will file after 7 years ESTOPPEL — Equitable estoppel – estoppel by encouragement – estoppel by acquiescence – Requirements – Family relationship – Sons expend capital renovating property – Quantum of capital expenditure on renovations unsubstantiated by documentary evidence of expenditure – Sons claim to have done so upon representations by parents, both since deceased, that they would become sole owners of property – Sons reside on the property between 1989 and the date of death in 2020 and thereafter – Onus of proof on sons to prove reliance – Whether deceased aware of intended reliance – Whether Court satisfied that any promise or assurance to give property to sons made – Whether detrimental reliance established EVIDENCE – Principles requiring caution when relying on uncorroborated statements said to have been made by deceased person – Father and mother both deceased prior to commencement of proceedings – No contemporaneous or near contemporaneous documents – Credibility of each son's evidence when events alleged to have taken place many years before claim made – Property held by father and mother as joint tenants and passes to mother by survivorship – Will made by mother devises property to the sons – Challenge to validity of mother's Will – Will made by father provides substitutionary devise of property to sons SUCCESSION — Claims for family provision order under the Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3 — Claim by adult sons of the deceased — Whether adequate and proper provision not made in the Will of the deceased for each applicant and, if so, the nature and quantum of the provision to be made for him, respectively Legislation Cited: Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995 (NSW) s 49(2) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) ss 3, 56 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) s 140(2) Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) s 16 Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 r 27 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) ss 84A(3), 86 Succession Act 2006 (NSW) Pt 3.3, ss 3(1), 6, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61(1), 63(5), 72(1), 84, 88, 89, 99, 127 Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) r 78.66 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Sch 7, r 28.5, 31.18, 33.12 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Anderson v Teboneras [1990] VR 527 Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2021] NSWCA 308 Annason v Phillips (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 4 March 1988, unrep) Armagas Ltd v Mundogas SA (The "Ocean Frost") [1985] 1 Lloyd's Rep 1 Ashkettle v Gwinnett [2013] EWHC 2125 (Ch) Ashton v Pratt (2015) 88 NSWLR 281; [2015] NSWCA 12 Ashton v Pratt (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 3 Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345; [2012] HCA 17 Azzopardi v Smart (The Estate of Alice Ann Smart) (1992) 27 NSWLR 232 Bailey v Bailey (1924) 34 CLR 558; [1924] HCA 21 Baker v Dening (1838) 8 Ad & El 94 Ballard v Multiplex [2012] NSWSC 426 Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Beatson v Perry (1906) 6 SR (NSW) 167 Benz v Armstrong [2022] NSWSC 534 Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154 Blendell v Byrne; Estate of Noeline Joan Blendell [2019] NSWSC 583 Boensch v Pascoe (2019) 268 CLR 593; [2019] HCA 49 Bolinger v Bell (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1495 Bowers v Bowers [2020] NSWSC 109 Brown v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWCA 431 Butler v Morris; Butler (bht NSW Trustee & Guardian) v Morris [2012] NSWSC 748 Carey v Robson (No 2) [2009] NSWSC 1199 Carr v Homersham (2018) 97 NSWLR 328; [2018] NSWCA 65 Chan v Chan (2016) 15 ASTLR 317; [2016] NSWCA 222 Chant v Curcuruto; Chant v Curcuruto [2021] NSWSC 751 Chisak v Presot [2021] NSWSC 597 Chisak v Presot [2022] NSWCA 100 Clarke v Clarke [2022] NSWSC 1721 Clay v Karlson (1997) 17 WAR 493 Connor v Blacktown District Hospital [1971] 1 NSWLR 713 Daniel v Athans [2022] NSWSC 1712 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) (2007) 35 WAR 127; [2007] WASCA 235 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Doulaveras v Daher (2009) 253 ALR 627; [2009] NSWCA 58 Drivas v Jakopovic (2019) 100 NSWLR 505; [2019] NSWCA 218 Elayoubi v Zipser [2008] NSWCA 335 Estate Kouvakas; Lucas v Konakas [2014] NSWSC 786 Estate of Radziszewski (1982) 29 SASR 256 ET-China.com International Holdings Ltd v Cheung (2021) 388 ALR 128; [2021] NSWCA 24 Evans v Braddock [2015] NSWSC 249 Evans v Evans [2010] NSWSC 170 Flourentzou v Spink [2019] NSWCA 315 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Forsyth v Sinclair (No 2) (2010) 28 VR 635; [2010] VSCA 195 Fulton v Fulton [2014] NSWSC 619 Georgopoulos v Tsiokanis [2022] NSWSC 563 Gestmin SGPS SA v Credit Suisse (UK) Ltd [2013] EWHC 3560 (Comm) Gill v Woodall [2011] Ch 380; [2010] EWCA Civ 1430 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101; [1999] HCA 10 Gooley v NSW Rural Assistance Authority (No 3) [2019] NSWSC 1314 Gould v Gould [2005] NSWSC 914 Gregory v Phillip Morris Ltd (1987) 74 ALR 300 Grey v Harrison [1997] 2 VR 359 Gulic v Boral Transport Ltd [2016] NSWCA 269 Harkness v Harkness (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 35 Hawes v Burgess [2013] EWCA Civ 74 Hughes v St Barbara Mines Ltd [No 4] [2010] WASC 160 Humphreys v Newport Quays Stage 2A Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 699 In Re Male [1934] VLR 318 In the Estate of Muirhead, Deceased [1971] P 263 In the Estate of Robin Michael (Deceased) (2016) 126 SASR 299; [2016] SASC 164 In the matter of Colorado Products Pty Ltd (in prov liq) (2014) 101 ACSR 233; [2014] NSWSC 789 In the matter of Kit Digital Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) [2014] NSWSC 1547 Jeffrey v Associated National Insurance Co Ltd [1984] 1 Qd R 238 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Kenny v Wilson (1911) 11 SR (NSW) 460 Kensey (bht NSW Trustee and Guardian) v Thomas [2011] NSWSC 1434 Kogan v Martin [2019] EWCA Civ 1645 Lachaux v Lachaux [2017] 4 WLR 57; [2017] EWHC 385 (Fam) Legal Services Board v Forster (2010) 29 VR 277; [2010] VSC 102 Lim v Lim [2022] NSWSC 454 Longman v R (1989) 168 CLR 79; [1989] HCA 60 Lowe v Lowe [2014] NSWSC 371 Lumb v McMillan [2007] NSWSC 386 Manning v Hughes; Estate of Ludewig [2010] NSWSC 226 Massoud v Nationwide News Pty Ltd; Massoud v Fox Sports Australia Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 150 Matthews v Wear [2011] NSWSC 1145 Mekhail v Hana; Mekail v Hana [2019] NSWCA 197 Milling v Hardie [2014] NSWCA 163 Moore v Aubusson [2020] NSWSC 1466 Morton v Copeland (1855) 16 CB 517 Nadilo v Souris [2019] NSWSC 108 Neale v Bank of Western Australia [2014] NSWSC 315 Neville v Lam (No 3) [2014] NSWSC 607 Newman v Brinkgreve; The Estate of Floris Verzijden [2013] NSWSC 371 Nguyen v Cosmopolitan Homes [2008] NSWCA 246 Nicholson v Knaggs [2009] VSC 64 No 1 Victoria Dragons Pty Ltd v AEN Developments Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 1345 Nominal Defendant v Saleh [2011] NSWCA 16 Nominal Defendant v Smith [2015] NSWCA 339 Onassis and Calegoropoulos v Vergottis [1968] 2 Lloyd's Rep 403 O'Neill v Williams [2006] NSWSC 707 Page v Hull-Moody [2020] NSWSC 411 Papas v Co [2018] NSWSC 1404 Pates v Craig & Public Trustee (Estate of the late Joyce Jean Cole) (Supreme Court (NSW), Santow J, 28 August 1995, unrep) Petrovski v Nasev; The Estate of Janakievska [2011] NSWSC 1275 Phelan v Melbourne Health [2019] VSCA 205 Plunkett v Bull (1915) 19 CLR 544; [1915] HCA 14 Plus One International Pty Ltd v Ching (No 3) [2020] NSWSC 1598 Poletti v Jones (2015) 13 ASTLR 113; [2015] NSWCA 107 Q (a pseudonym) v E Co (a pseudonym) (2020) 383 ALR 469; [2020] NSWCA 220 Re Allen (deceased) [1922] NZLR 218 Re Crooks Estate; Akerman v Brown (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 14 December 1994, unrep) Re Estate of Paul Francis Hodges Deceased; Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698 Re Estate Sue [2016] NSWSC 721 Re Salmon, Deceased [1981] Ch 167 Re Stojanovska; Stojevski v Stojevski [2020] VSC 702 Re Theodoulou [2018] VSC 601 Regina v Moore, ex parte Myers (1884) 10 VLR 322 Richardson v Armistead [2000] VSC 551 Robertson v Barker [2021] NSWSC 1682 Robertson v Byrne [2022] NSWSC 171 Ryan v Dalton; Estate of Ryan [2017] NSWSC 1007 Saitannis v Katsolos [2022] NSWSC 1468 SAMM Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Shaye Properties Pty Ltd (2017) 345 ALR 633; [2017] NSWCA 132 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Saravinovska v Saravinovski (No 6) [2016] NSWSC 964 Seymour v Australian Broadcasting Commission (1977) 19 NSWLR 219 Sidhu v Van Dyke (2014) 251 CLR 505; [2014] HCA 19 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Spink v Flourentzou [2019] NSWSC 256 Starr v Miller [2022] NSWCA 46 Starr v Miller; Starr v Miller [2021] NSWSC 426 State of Queensland v Masson (2020) 94 ALJR 785; [2020] HCA 28 Steinmetz v Shannon (2019) 99 NSWLR 687; [2019] NSWCA 114 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Strang v Steiner [2019] NSWCA 143 Sun v Chapman [2022] NSWCA 132 The Estate of Milan Zlatevski; Geroska v Zlatevski [2020] NSWSC 250 The Estate of Yunupingu [2022] NTSC 4 The Queen v Silverstein [2020] VSCA 233 Thomas v Pickering; Byrne v Pickering [2011] NSWSC 572 Timbury v Coffee (1941) 66 CLR 277; [1941] HCA 22 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Van Dyke v Sidhu (2013) 301 ALR 769; [2013] NSWCA 198 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Vinden v Vinden [1982] 1 NSWLR 618 Vukic v Grbin; Estate of Zvonko Grbin [2006] NSWSC 41 Wantagong Farms Pty Ltd as Trustee for the Bulle Family Trust v Bulle [2015] NSWSC 1603 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 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Webb v Ryan [2012] VSC 377 Wharton v Bancroft [2011] EWHC 3250 (Ch) White v Barron (1980) 144 CLR 431; [1980] HCA 14 Xiang bht Cao v Tong [2021] NSWSC 44 Zahra v Francica [2009] NSWSC 1206 Texts Cited: A Learmonth KC, J Clarke, K Shuman, C Ford and T Fletcher, Theobald on Wills (19th ed, 2021, Sweet & Maxwell) G E Dal Pont and K F Mackie, Law of Succession (2nd ed, 2018, LexisNexis Butterworths) G E Dal Pont, Lawyers' Professional Responsibility (7th ed, 2021, Lawbook Co) P McClellan "Who Is Telling the Truth? Psychology, Common Sense and the Law" (2006) 80(10) ALJ 655 P W Young, C E Croft and M L Smith, On Equity (2009, Thomson Reuters) Practice Note SC Eq 7 R Jennings KC and J C Harper, Jarman on Wills (8th ed, 1951, Street & Maxwell) R Atherton, "The Concept of Moral Duty in the Law of Family Provision – a Gloss or Critical Understanding?" (1999) 5 Aust J Leg Hist 5 Category: Principal judgment Parties: 2020/239852: Rose Marie Wild (Plaintiff) Dominic Meduri (first Defendant) John Meduri (second Defendant) Richard John Neal (third Defendant)