Katsoulas v Kritikakis; Katsoulas v Apostolatos [2024] NSWSC 67

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Katsoulas v Kritikakis; Katsoulas v Apostolatos [2024] NSWSC 67 Hearing dates: 30, 31 January, 1, 2, 5 February 2024 Decision date: 07 February 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Leeming JA Decision: 1. Pursuant to UCPR r 7.10, order with effect from 30 January 2024 that the plaintiff in each proceeding be appointed as representative of the deceased estate of Theodore Katsoulas (known as Lakis) who died on 16 January 2021. 2. Direct the plaintiff to supply proposed short minutes of order reflecting (a) the revocation and grant of probate and (b) the pecuniary relief he seeks in each proceeding by email to my Associate copied to the defendants within 7 days of today, including a short explanation of the calculations. 3. Direct the defendants to supply within 14 days of today a note identifying any aspects of the plaintiff's proposed orders with which they disagree, and any orders which they seek, and a short explanation of the reasons therefor. Catchwords: EQUITY – fiduciaries – withdrawals from principal's bank account by signatory – whether amounts paid to benefit of signatory and his family – whether transactions authorised by principal – whether agent established fully informed consent – nature of relief awarded PROBATE – revocation of grant – principal beneficiary under will seeks revocation of probate granted to executors who were children of signatory to deceased's account and recipients of money alleged to have been wrongfully withdrawn – representative order under UCPR r 7.10 made Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Chapter 3 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 31 Trustee Act 1925 (NSW), ss 5, 85 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 7.10 Cases Cited: Alexander v Perpetual Trustees WA Ltd (2004) 216 CLR 109; [2004] HCA 7 Aleyn v Belchier (1758) 1 Eden 132; 28 ER 634 Arizabaleta v R [2023] NSWCCA 217 Atanaskovic Hartnell v Birketu Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 201 Camden v McKenzie [2008] 1 Qd R 39; [2007] QCA 136 Coope v LCM Litigation Fund Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 37 Coote v Kelly [2013] NSWCA 357 Fexuto Pty Limited v Bosnjak Holdings Pty Limited [2001] NSWCA 97; 37 ACSR 672 Fistar v Riverwood Legion and Community Club Ltd (2016) 91 NSWLR 732; [2016] NSWCA 81 Gilmore Finance Pty Ltd v Aesthete Pty Ltd [2022] NSWCA 279 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic (2006) 66 NSWLR 186; [2006] NSWCA 187 Great Investments Ltd v Warner (2016) 243 FCR 516; [2016] FCAFC 85 Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Ltd (2003) 56 NSWLR 298; [2003] NSWCA 10 Ivanovski v Perdacher [2009] NSWSC 913 Lewis v Lewis (2021) 105 NSWLR 487; [2021] NSWCA 168 Maguire v Makaronis (1997) 188 CLR 449; [1997] HCA 23 Mills v Mills (1938) 60 CLR 150; [1938] HCA 4 Mualim v Dzelme [2021] NSWCA 199 Murdoch v Mudgee Dolomite & Lime Pty Ltd (in liq) [2022] NSWCA 12; 398 ALR 658 Pagels v McDonald (1936) 54 CLR 519; [1936] HCA 15 Paolucci v Makedyn Pty Ltd [2021] NSWCA 215 Rahme v Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 211 Ramage v Waclaw (1988) 12 NSWLR 84 Re Estate of Dippert [2001] NSWSC 167 Russell Gould Pty Ltd v Ramangkura (2014) 87 NSWLR 552; [2014] NSWCA 310 Taheri v Vitek (2014) 87 NSWLR 403; [2014] NSWCA 209 Telstra Corporation v Australis Media Holdings (unreported, Supreme Court of New South Wales, McLelland CJ in Eq, 10 February 1997) Vatcher v Paull [1915] AC 372 Xiao v BCEG International (Australia) Pty Ltd [2023] NSWCA 48 Texts Cited: Restatement of the Law Third: Restitution and Unjust Enrichment (American Law Institute Publishers, 2011), §17 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Proceeding 2022/00066818 Anthony Katsoulas (Plaintiff) Anthony Kritikakis (Defendant)