Re Estate Sharman; Ex parte Versluis [1999] NSWSC 709

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Re Estate Sharman; Ex parte Versluis [1999] NSWSC 709 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Equity Division Probate List FILE NUMBER(S) : 120066/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 05/07/99 JUDGMENT DATE : 5 July 1999

PARTIES : Colleen Versluis and Gregory John Sharman (P) JUDGMENT OF : Young J

COUNSEL : Plaintiffs: M A Gilmour SOLICITORS : Plaintiffs: The Argyle Partnership CATCHWORDS : Succession [48]- Informal will- Draft prepared after instructions from testatrix's daughter conveyed to solicitor- Testatrix content with altered draft- Final document then typed- Never seen by testatrix- Probate refused (NSW) supreme Court rules Pt 61, r3, Pt 78 r6 ACTS CITED : (UK) Wills Act 1837 (NSW) Wills Probate and Administration Act 1898, ss 7, 18A Re Brown (1991) 23 NSWLR 535 Re Kencalo (Powell J, 23 October 1991, unreported) CASES CITED : Re Masters (1994) 33 NSWLR 446 Pahlow-Silady v Siladi (Court of Appeal, 22 April 1997, unreported) Theakston v Marson (1832) 4 Hagg Ecc 290; 162 ER 1452 Estate of Vauk (1986) 41 SASR 242 DECISION : Probate refused

THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES EQUITY DIVISION PROBATE LIST

YOUNG, J

MONDAY 5 JULY 1999

120066/98 - RE ESTATE SHARMAN; EX PARTE VERSLUIS

JUDGMENT

1 HIS HONOUR : This is an application to review the decision of the Registrar not to grant probate of an unexecuted document under s 18A of the Wills Probate and Administration Act 1898 as the last will of Beryl Patricia Sharman.

2 The jurisdiction to make the decision in this type of case is given to the Registrar and this is one of the few situations where a review lies to the court under Pt 61 r 3 of the Supreme Court Rules; vide Pt 78 r 6.