Bosschieter v Howitt [2024] NSWSC 1676

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bosschieter v Howitt [2024] NSWSC 1676 Hearing dates: 1, 2,3 and 4 July 2024 Date of orders: 9 December 2024 Decision date: 23 December 2024 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Slattery J Decision: The defendant's cross claim is successful and the gift of $200,000 and set aside on account of the plaintiff's unconscionable conduct. The plaintiff's claim for further provision out of the deceased's estate is allowed but only to an amount equivalent to the estate's chose in action to recover the gift of $200,000. Costs reserved and submissions invited. Catchwords: SUCCESSION — Family provision — Succession Act 2005, s 59 – in her will the deceased divides her estate into five equal parts, giving one part to each of her four children and one part to her granddaughter, the plaintiff – the plaintiff lived in the deceased's household for part of her life – the plaintiff seeks further provision out of the deceased's estate – whether the plaintiff is an "eligible person" under Succession Act – whether there are factors warranting the making of an order for provision to the plaintiff – whether an order for provision should be made and if so in what amount. EQUITY — Unconscionable conduct — Special disability or disadvantage — Undue influence — Actual undue influence – the estate cross claims against the plaintiff to set aside a gift made by the deceased to the plaintiff/cross-defendant shortly before the deceased's death – the plaintiff/cross claimant attended a bank with the deceased and caused the transfer of a term deposit to the value of approximately $200,000 from the name of the deceased into the name of the plaintiff/cross-defendant – whether the deceased was in a position of special disadvantage in relation to the plaintiff/ cross-defendant at the time of making the gift – whether the plaintiff/ cross-defendant exercised actual undue influence over the deceased at the time of making the gift. Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006, ss 57(1)(e)&(f), 59(1)(b)&(c) (2), 60. Cases Cited: Allcard v Skinner (1887) 36 Ch D 145. Attorney General (NSW) v World Best Holdings Ltd (2005) 63 NSWLR 557; [2005] NSWCA 261 Blomley v Ryan (1956) 99 CLR 362; [1956 HCA 81 Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447 Curtis v Curtis [2024] NSWCA 1376 Earl of Aylesford v Morris (1873) LR Ch App 484 Drury v Smith [2012] NSWSC 1067 Jenkyns v Public Curator (Queensland) (1953) 90 CLR 113; [1953] HCA 2 Johnson v Smith [2010] NSWCA 306 Karavaz v Crown Melbourne Ltd (2013) 250 CLR 392; [2013] HCA 25 Nature Resorts Ltd v First Citizen Bank Ltd [2022] 1 WLR 2788, [2022] UKPC 10 Nitopi v Nitopi (2022) 109 NSWLR 390; [2022] NSWCA 162 Singer v Berghouse (No. 2) (1994) 181 CLR 201; (1994) 123 ALR 481; (1994) 68 ALJR 653; [1994] HCA 40 Thorne v Kennedy (2017) 263 CLR 85; [2017] HCA 49 Tonto Home Loans Australia Pty Ltd v Tavares; FirstMac Ltd v Di Benedetto; FirstMac Ltd v O'Donnell (2011) 15 BPR 29,699; [2011] NSWCA 389 Paciocco v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (2015) 236 FCR 199; [2015] FCAFC 50 Royal Bank of Scotland plc v Etridge (No. 2) [2002] 2 AC 773; [2001] UKHL 44 Wu v Ling [2016] NSWCA 322 Texts Cited: JD Heydon, MJ Leeming and PG Turner, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity: Doctrines & Remedies (5th ed, 2014, LexisNexis Butterworths) at paragraph 15-105. PW Young, C Croft, ML Smith, On Equity (2009, Thomson Reuters) at [5.440]. Category: Principal judgment Parties: Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant: Justine Bosschieter