Gertsch v Atsas & Ors [1999] NSWSC 898

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Gertsch v Atsas & Ors [1999] NSWSC 898 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Equity FILE NUMBER(S) : 2060/96 HEARING DATE(S) : 14/06/99 to 18/06/99 and 1/07/99 to 02/07/99 JUDGMENT DATE : 1 October 1999

PARTIES : Henry Victor GERTSCH v Aspasia ATSAS & Ors JUDGMENT OF : Foster AJ

M Walton SC with J Burnet for the plaintiff COUNSEL : A Barrie for the second defendant T Molomby with F Clark for the third defendant AG Corporations Group Counsel for the plaintiff SOLICITORS : Gregory H. Artup & Co for the second defendant Gerard J. Gooden for the third defendant CATCHWORDS : SUCCESSION - intestacy - will subject to grant of probate later found to be forged by executor - administrator of estate seeks repayment of moneys received by beneficiaries under the forged will; TRUSTS - constructive trusts - liability for 'knowing receipt' - discussion of relevant principles - whether second and third defendants had 'knowledge' that will was invalid - availability of defence of change of position; EQUITY - remedies - tracing - subrogation - whether inequitable to charge home of third defendant.; UNJUST ENRICHMENT - moneys had and received to the use of the plaintiff - payments made under mistake - defence of change of position - whether second and third defendants acted to their detriment on the faith of the receipt - broad approach to assessment of change of position and detriment - assess nett advantage or nett disadvantage - defendants entitled to rely on reasonable estimates of expenditure - time from which interest payable.; COSTS - appropriate case to depart from ordinary order for costs. Boscawen v Bajwa [1996] 1 WLR 328 Black v S Freedman & Co (1910) 12 CLR 105 Banque Financiere de la Cite v Parc (Battersea) Ltd [1998] 2 WLR 475 David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353 Foskett v McKeown [1998] 2 WLR 298 Barnes v Addy (1874) 9 Ch App 244 Baden v Societe de Generale S.A. [1993] 1 WLR 509 CASES CITED : Polly Peck International plc v Nadir (No. 2) [1992] 4 All ER 769 Re Montague Settlement Trusts [1987] 1 Ch 264 Carl Zeiss Stiftung v Herbert Smith & Co (No. 2) [1969] 2 Ch 276 Royal Brunei Airlines v Tan [1995] 2 AC 378 Consul Development Pty Ltd v DPC Estates Pty Ltd (1974-1975) 132 CLR 373 Equiticorp Finance Ltd v Bank of New Zealand (1993) 32 NSWLR 50 Lipkin Gorman v Karpnale Ltd [1991] 2 AC 548 RBC Dominion Securities Inc v Dawson (1994) 111 DLR (4th) 230 DECISION : Refer Paragraph 144.