Anderson v Yongpairojwong [2023] NSWSC 1359

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Anderson v Yongpairojwong [2023] NSWSC 1359 Hearing dates: 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30 October 2023 Date of orders: 10 November 2023 Decision date: 10 November 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Griffiths AJ Decision: (1) The further amended statement of claim filed on 17 June 2022 is dismissed. (2) The first cross-claim filed on 25 February 2022 is allowed. (3) Under s 42(4) of the Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) any partial or total failure to comply with the requirements of ss 42(2) and (3) shall not bar the granting of probate. (4) Probate of the will of the late Amonrat Chanta dated 24 June 2020 be granted in solemn form to Kijchai Yongpairojwong. (5) Unless any party objects within 14 days hereof, the following orders apply to costs: (a) for the period up until 3 March 2023, the estate of the late Amonrat Chanta bear the costs of the parties, excluding the costs of the two expert medical reports; (b) the plaintiff pay the second defendant's costs thereafter, including the costs of the family provision claim; (c) the second cross-defendant pay the costs of the cross-claimant with respect to the cross-claim filed on 25 February 2022. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Contested probate – testamentary capacity – where testatrix was undergoing treatment for metastatic cancer – whether evidence revealed not of sound mind, memory or understanding and had sufficient testamentary capacity despite effect of treatments and physical condition SUCCESSION – Contested probate – knowledge and approval of testatrix– whether any evidence of suspicious circumstances surrounding execution of the will SUCCESSION – Conflict of laws – where testatrix executed will in Australia and then executed a will in Thailand three years later – where some differences between the two wills but deal substantially with the same property – where testatrix domiciled in Australia and Thai will is a valid testamentary instrument under NSW law – where in any event Thai will accords with formal validity requirements of Thai law SUCCESSION – Family provision claim – extension of time required – where evidence of plaintiff seeking family provision order did not divulge full extent of assets Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 98 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) ss 40, 42 Succession Act 2006 (NSW) ss 6, 48, 58, 59, 60, 78, 99 Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) Pt 78 rr 3, 6 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 31.19, 42.1 Cases Cited: Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Barry v Butlin (1838) 12 ER 1089 Blendell v Blendell; Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154 Boughton v Knight (1873) LR 3 P&D 64 Bull v Fulton (1942) 66 CLR 295; [1942] HCA 13 Carr v Homersham [2018] NSWCA 65 Collings v Vakas [2006] NSWSC 393 Croft v Sanders [2019] NSWCA 303 d'Apice v Gutkovich - Estate of Abraham (No. 2) [2010] NSWSC 1333 Haertsch v Whiteway (No 2) [2020] NSWCA 287 In Re Male [1934] VLR 318 Kerr v Badran [2004] NSWSC 735 King v Hudson [2009] NSWSC 1013 Lewis v Balshaw (1935) 54 CLR 188; [1935] HCA 80 Lim v Lim [2023] NSWCA 84 Madden-Smith v Madden [2012] NSWSC 146 Mekhail v Hana [2019] NSWCA 197 Middlebrook v Middlebrook (1962) 36 ALJR 216 Miller v Miller; Estate of Miller (2000) 50 NSWLR 81; [2000] NSWSC 767 Morton v Copeland (1855) 16 CB 517; 139 ER 861 Nicholson v Knaggs [2009] VSC 64 Perpetual Trustee Company Limited v Baker [1999] NSWCA 244 Price v Dewhurst (1838) 4 My & Cr 76; 41 ER 30 Re Estate of Hodges; Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698 Re Estate of Griffith (dec'd); Easter v Griffith (1995) 217 ALR 284 Romascu v Manolache [2011] NSWSC 1362 Salmon v Osmond [2015] NSWCA 42 Shorten v Shorten [2001] NSWSC 100 Shorten v Shorten (No 2) [2003] NSWCA 60 Singer v Berghouse [1993] HCA 35 Slack v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Stone v Stone [2016] NSWSC 605 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 The Estate of Juliana Voros; Cooney v Cherry [2016] NSWSC 1603 The Public Trustee v Stretch [2002] WASC 147 Thomas v Pickering; Byrne v Pickering [2011] NSWSC 572 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Tyrrell v Painton [1894] P 151 Veall v Veall (2015) 46 VR 123; [2015] VSCA 60 Waters v Waters (1848) 64 ER 263 Wild v Meduri [2023] NSWSC 113 Worth v Clasohm (1952) 86 CLR 439; [1952] HCA 67 Zorbas v Sidiropoulous (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 197 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Palisa Anderson (plaintiff/second cross-defendant) Kijchai Yongpairojwong (first defendant/first cross-defendant) Kulphat Laoyont (second defendant/cross-claimant) Representation: Counsel: A Maroya (plaintiff/second cross-defendant) S Chapple SC; D Yazdani (second defendant/cross-claimant)