Lim v Lim [2023] NSWCA 84

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Lim v Lim [2023] NSWCA 84 Hearing dates: 3 November 2022 Date of orders: 1 May 2023 Decision date: 01 May 2023 Before: Bell CJ at [1] Kirk JA at [2] Griffiths AJA at [122] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed. (2) The orders of the Supreme Court made on 14 April 2022 are set aside, save for the orders dealing with costs, and in lieu thereof: (a) Declare that the original of the document dated 16 October 2019 in respect of which the Court did, on 28 September 2020, make a grant of probate in common form constitutes the last will and testament of the late Daisy Ut-Mui Lam. (b) Order that a grant of probate of that will in solemn form be made to the defendant. (3) The respondent is to pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: SUCCESSION — Contested probate — Testamentary capacity — Lack of knowledge and approval — Significant change in nature of will — Suggestion of hepatic encephalopathy — Dispute about deceased's hearing capacity — Dispute about deceased's ability to understand Mandarin EVIDENCE — Standard of proof — Civil cases — Principle in Briginshaw v Briginshaw — Nature and strength of evidence required to establish a fact depends on nature of fact and on context in which fact sought to be proved — No general requirement of a higher degree of satisfaction in cases of contested probate Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3 Cases Cited: Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Carr v Homersham (2018) 97 NSWLR 328; [2018] NSWCA 65 Croft v Sanders [2019] NSWCA 303 d'Apice v Gutkovich – Estate of Abraham (No 2) [2010] NSWSC 1333 Dickman v Holley [2013] NSWSC 18 Kantor v Vosahlo [2004] VSCA 235 King v Hudson [2009] NSWSC 1013 Lewis v Lewis (2021) 105 NSWLR 487 Mekhail v Hana [2019] NSWCA 197 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd (1992) 67 ALJR 170; [1992] HCA 66 Nock v Austin (1918) 25 CLR 519; [1918] HCA 73 Qantas Airways Ltd v Gama (2008) 167 FCR 537; [2008] FCAFC 69 Re Estate of Griffith (1995) 217 ALR 284 Simon v Byford [2014] WTLR 1097; [2014] EWCA Civ 280 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Veall v Veall (2015) 46 VR 123; [2015] VSCA 60 Worth v Clasohm (1952) 86 CLR 439 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sony Ton Yew Lim (Appellant)