Dedakis v Deligiannis; The estate of Rebecca Deligiannis (also known as Rebeka Deligiannis) [2024] NSWSC 1018

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Dedakis v Deligiannis; The estate of Rebecca Deligiannis (also known as Rebeka Deligiannis) [2024] NSWSC 1018 Hearing dates: 5, 6, 7 August 2024 Decision date: 15 August 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Leeming JA Decision: Direct the parties to file and serve either an agreed short minute of order, or alternatively proposed short minutes of order for which they contend, accompanied by submissions not exceeding five pages, within 14 days of today, followed by submissions in reply not exceeding three pages 7 days thereafter. The submissions in reply are to indicate whether either side seeks an oral hearing or is content with any dispute to be resolved on the papers. Catchwords: PROBATE — testamentary capacity — knowledge and approval — undue influence — elderly testatrix altered will so as to dilute entitlement in favour of son — whether suspicious circumstances — testimonial and documentary evidence as to capacity and knowledge and approval — whether daughter had received real property during lifetime — whether additional reasons for diluting daughter's entitlement — significance of those reasons — probate granted in favour of son — claim for mesne profits for period of daughter's occupation of family home — whether claim available — consideration of Minister of State for the Interior v RT Co Pty Ltd (1962) 107 CLR 1; [1962] HCA 29 and Richardson v Richardson [2021] NSWSC 353 SUCCESSION — claim by daughter — whether adequate provision made — whether real property received by her during lifetime — application refused Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 63 Common Law Procedure Act 1853 (NSW), ss 37, 165 Common Law Procedure Act 1852 (15 & 16 Vict c 76), ss 41, 214 Common Law Procedure Act 1899 (NSW), s 49 Fair Trading Legislation (Repeal and Amendment) Act 2015 (NSW) Landlord and Tenant Act 1899 (NSW), ss 1D, 12 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), s 44 Recovery of Possession by Landlords Act 1820 (1 Geo 4, c 87) Stamp Duties Act 1920 (NSW) Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 58, 59, 60 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 8, 79, 92 Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) Pt 8 r 1, Pt 78 r 69 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 6.18, 7.10, 9.1 Cases Cited: Angius v Salier [2019] NSWSC 184 Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Biviano v Natoli (1998) 43 NSWLR 695 Broadway Pty Ltd trading as trustee for the Criddle Family Trust v Lewis [2012] WASC 373 Bull v Fulton (1942) 66 CLR 295 Camden v McKenzie [2008] 1 Qd R 39; [2007] QCA 136 Carnegy v Scott (1830) VII Bligh NS 462; 5 ER 843 Carr v Homersham (2018) 97 NSWLR 328; [2018] NSWCA 65 Cassaniti v Ball as liquidator of RCG CBD Pty Limited (in liq) (2022) 109 NSWLR 348; [2022] NSWCA 161 Chalik v Chalik [2024] NSWSC 117 Ciaglia v Ciaglia [2010] NSWSC 341 Corbett v Packington (1827) 6 B & C 268; 108 ER 451 Cribb v FM Custodians Ltd [2018] NZCA 183 Cribb v FM Custodians Ltd [2018] NZSC 90 Croft v Sanders [2019] NSWCA 303 Dunlop v Macedo (1891) 8 TLR 43 Dybac v Czerwaniw [2022] NSWSC 1279 Estate of Guamani; Guamani v De Cruzado [2023] NSWSC 502 Estate of the late Genevieve Bryan [2022] NSWSC 965 ET-China.com International Holdings Ltd v Cheung [2021] NSWCA 24; 388 ALR 128 Finlay v Tucker [2015] NSWSC 560 Gestmin SGPS SA v Credit Suisse (UK) Ltd [2013] EWHC 3560 (Comm) Ghamrawi v R (2017) 95 NSWLR 405; [2017] NSWSCCA 195 Hampton v BHP Billiton Minerals Pty Ltd [No 2] [2012] WASC 285 Katsoulas v Kritikakis; Katsoulas v Apostolatos [2024] NSWSC 67 Kouroutis v Kouroutis [2023] NSWSC 608 Lamru Pty Ltd v Kation Pty Ltd (1998) 44 NSWLR 432 Lee v Blakeney (1887) 8 LR (NSW) 141 Lewis v Lewis (2021) 105 NSWLR 487; [2021] NSWCA 168 Lim v Lim [2023] NSWCA 84 Lockwood Buildings Ltd v Trust Bank Canterbury Ltd [1995] 1 NZLR 22; [1994] NZCA 266 Mao v Peddley [2001] NSWSC 254 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566; [1957] HCA 82 Mekhail v Hana; Mekail v Hana [2019] NSWCA 197 Minister of State for the Interior v RT Co Pty Ltd (1962) 107 CLR 1; [1962] HCA 29 New South Wales Crime Commission v Hindmarch [2023] NSWSC 332 Nguyen v Rickhuss [2023] NSWCA 249 Oliveri v Jones [1999] NSWSC 154 Oliveri v Jones [1999] NSWSC 796 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9; [1962] HCA 19 Progressive Mailing House Pty Ltd v Tabali Pty Ltd (1985) 157 CLR 17; [1985] HCA 14 Ramzan v Brookwide Ltd [2011] EWCA Civ 985; [2012] 1 All ER 903 Re Estate Capelin, Deceased (2022) 107 NSWLR 461; [2022] NSWSC 236 Re Estate of Griffith (1995) 217 ALR 284 Richardson v Pedler [2001] NSWSC 221 Richardson v Richardson [2021] NSWSC 353 Schwanke v Alexakis; Camilleri v Alexakis [2024] NSWCA 118 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Smith v Smith [2011] NSWSC 938 Starr v Miller [2021] NSWSC 426 Starr v Miller [2022] NSWCA 46 Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Wilkinson v Kirby (1854) 15 CB 431; 139 ER 492 Willoughby City Council v Roads and Maritime Services (2014) 201 LGERA 177; [2014] NSWLEC 6 Wintle v Nye [1959] 1 WLR 284 Texts Cited: J Chitty and T Chitty, Chitty on Pleading (Sweet and Stevens, London, 1836) G Lindsay, "The 'Why?' and 'What?' of 'Suspicious Circumstances' in Probate Litigation", paper delivered to Law Society of South Australia Succession Law Conference, Adelaide, 16 November 2018 R Lush, The Practice of the Superior Courts of Law at Westminster (C Reader, London, 1820) C Mitchell and L Rostill, "Making Sense of Mesne Profits: Causes of Action" (2021) 80 Cambridge Law Journal 130 New South Wales Law Reform Commission, 'Supreme Court Procedure', Rep 7 R Stevens, "Should Contributory Fault Be Analogue or Digital?" in A Dyson et al (eds), Defences in Tort (Hart Publishing, 2017) 247 R Therry, Reminiscences of Thirty Years' Residence in New South Wales and Victoria (facsimile of 2nd ed 1863 published 1974, Sydney University Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: In 2022/345407: Marika Dedakis (Plaintiff/Cross-defendant) Jim Deligiannis (Defendant/Cross-claimant)