Rydzewski v Rydzewski [2024] NSWSC 802

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Rydzewski v Rydzewski [2024] NSWSC 802 Hearing dates: 30 October 2023–10 November 2023 Date of orders: 01 July 2024 Decision date: 01 July 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity - Succession & Probate List - Probate Before: Richmond J Decision: See [324] Catchwords: CONTRACTS — parties — capacity — gift of real property CONTRACTS — unjust contracts — Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW) — unjust EQUITY — unconscionable conduct — special disability or disadvantage — whether unconscientious advantage taken EQUITY — trusts and trustees — constructive trusts — imperfect gifts EQUITY — undue influence — relationships giving rise to presumption of undue influence Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 (NSW) Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW) Duties Act 1997 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW`) Powers of Attorney Act 2003 (NSW) Cases Cited: Aboody v Ryan [2012] NSWCA 395 Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Blomley v Ryan (1956) 99 CLR 362 Boyse v Rossborough (1857) 10 ER 1192; (1857) 6 HL Cas 2 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Brown v Barber [2020] WASC 84 Collins by her next friend Poletti v May [2000] WASC 29 Commercial Bank of Australia v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447; [1983] HCA 14 Crouch v Hooper (1852) 16 Beav 182; 51 ER 747 DVB v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2021] NSWCATAD 105 Effem Foods Pty Ltd v Lake Cumbeline Pty Ltd (1999) 161 ALR 599; [1999] HCA 15 Et-China.com International Holdings Ltd v Cheung (2021) 388 ALR 128; [2021] NSWCA 24 Gibbons v Wright (1954) 91 CLR 423; [1954] HCA 17 Hanna v Raoul [2018] NSWCA 201 In the matter of Kit Digital Australia Pty Ltd (in liq) [2014] NSWSC 1547 Ip v Chiang [2021] NSWSC 822 Johnson v Buttress (1936) 56 CLR 113 Johnson v Smith [2010] NSWSC 306 Kakavas v Crown Melbourne Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 392; [2013] HCA 25 Louth v Diprose [1992] HCA 61; (1992) 175 CLR 621 Mentink v Olsen [2020] NSWCA 182 Nitopi v Nitopi [2022] NSWCA 162 Schwanke v Alexakis; Camilleri v Alexakis [2024] NSWCA 118 Scott v Scott [2012] NSWSC 1541 Smilevska v Smilevska [2015] NSWC 1794 at [28] Stubbings v Jams No 2 Pty Ltd [2022] HCA 6; (2022) 276 CLR 1 Symons v Williams (1875) 1 VLR (E) 199 Szozda v Szozda [2010] NSWSC 804 Thorne v Kennedy (2017) 263 CLR 85; [2017] HCA 49 Tomanovic Multitown Pty Limited v Interlux Projects Pty Limited [2021] NSWSC 190 Turner v O'Bryan-Turner [2021] NSWSC 5 Turner v Windever [2003] NSWSC 1147 Union Fidelity Trustee Co of Australia Ltd v Gibson [1971] VR 573 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Winefield v Clarke [2008] NSWSC 882 Texts Cited: Sir Frederick Jordan, Chapters on Equity in New South Wales (6th ed, 1947) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Stanislaus Rydzewski (Cross-claimant) Janina Rydzewski (Second Cross-defendant) Krystina Rydzewski (Third Cross-defendant) Daniel McKinnon as the administrator of the Estate of Maria Rydzewski (Fifth Cross-defendant) Representation: Counsel: Dr H Bennett (Cross-claimant) Mr M Daniels (Second and Third Cross-defendants) Solicitors: Browne Linkenbagh Legal Services (Cross-claimant) Laurence & Laurence Commercial Lawyers (Second and Third Cross-defendants) File Number(s): 2021/100787 Publication restriction: Nil