Radmanovich v Nedeljkovic [2001] NSWSC 492

Reported Decision : 52 NSWLR 641

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Radmanovich v Nedeljkovic [2001] NSWSC 492 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 1354/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 16, 17 May, 11 July, 25 October 2000 (then written submissions) JUDGMENT DATE : 15 June 2001

Maksim Radmanovich (P1) Stevan Dobrich (P2) Drago Mijakovac (P3) PARTIES : Kosta Nedeljkovic (D1) Nikola Lukic (D2) Duro Radan (D3) Attorney-General (D4) JUDGMENT OF : Young CJ in Eq

B Coles QC and G Colyer (P) COUNSEL : P W Taylor SC and S Glacken (D1-3) R Lancaster (D4) McCabes (P) SOLICITORS : Nicholas G Pappas & Company (D1-3) I V Knight (Crown Solicitor) (D4) CATCHWORDS : ASSOCIATIONS & CLUBS [1]- Amendment to rules- No provision for amendment- Unanimous consent of members required- Court has inherent power to overcome deadlock. ASSOCIATIONS & CLUBS [3]- Gifts- Church built by unincorporated association- Perpetuity- Invalid gift. CHARITY [6]- Advancement of religion- Trust for ethnic church school community- Whether valid. CHURCHES [7]- Trusts- How trusts discovered- On facts trust for hierarchical church with congregationalist overtones. EQUITY [108]- Trust- Involving unincorporated association- Difference between core terms of trust and precatory directions. EQUITY [255]- Rule against perpetual non-alienation effect on gift to operate church. LEGISLATION CITED : Charitable Trusts Act 1993, s 23 AG v Cahill [1969] 1 NSWR 85 AG v Calvert (1857) 23 Beav 248; 53 ER 97 AG v Clapham (1855) 4 DeG M & G 591; 43 ER 638 AG v Gould (1860) 28 Beav 485; 54 ER 452 AG v Holy Apostolic & Catholic Church of the East (1989) 37 NSWLR 293; on appeal (1989) 18 NSWLR 291 AG v Murdoch (1849) 7 Hare 445; 68 ER 183 AG v Murdoch (1852) 1 De GM & G 86; 42 ER 484 AG v Pearson (1817) 3 Mer 353; 36 ER 135 AG v Smythies (1831) 2 R & M 717; 39 ER 568 Aboriginal Hostels Ltd v Darwin CC (1985) 55 LGRA 414 Aglikin v Kovacheff 516 NE (2d) 704 (1987) Anastas v The Greek Orthodox Community of NSW (McLelland CJ in Eq 18.11.1964) Bacon v Pianta (1966) 114 CLR 634 Balkou v Gouleff (1989) 51 DLR (4th) 561 Ball v Pearsall (1987) 10 NSWLR 700 Bishop of Natal v Gladstone (1866) LR 3 Eq 1 Brylinski v Inkol (1924) 55 OLR 369 Church of the New Faith v Commissioner of Pay-Roll Tax (Vic) (1983) 154 CLR 120 Craigdallie v Aikman (1813) 1 Dow 1; 3 ER 601 Dragelevich v Rajsich 263 NE (2d) 778 (Court of Appeals, Ohio) (1970) Farley v Westminster Bank Ltd [1939] AC 430 Foley v Wontner (1820) 2 Jac & W 245; 37 ER 621 Free Church of Scotland v Overtoun [1904] AC 515 Hanna v Malick 193 NW 798 (1923) Hardey v Tory (1923) 32 CLR 592 Harington v Sendall [1903] 1 Ch 921 In re Astor's Settlement Trusts [1952] Ch 534 In re Lipinski's Will Trusts [1976] Ch 235 In re Scowcroft [1898] 2 Ch 638 Keren Kayemeth le Jisroel Ltd v IRC [1931] 2 KB 465 McGarvie Smith Institute v Campbelltown MC (1965) 11 LGRA 321 Metropolitan Petar v Kostovski (Vic SC Byrne J 27.10.1997) Morice v Bishop of Durham (1804) 9 Ves 399; 32 ER 656 Neville Estates Ltd v Madden [1962] Ch 832 New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church v Fisher 438 A (2d) 62 (Conn SC) (1980) CASES CITED : Parkes Management Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd (1977) 3 ACLR 303 Porima v Te Kauhanganui o Waikato Inc [2001] 1 NZLR 472 Public Trustee of NSW v AG (Powell J 11.12.1984) Public Trustee v AG (1997) 42 NSWLR 600 Re Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust (1991) 30 FCR 491 Re Bryning [1976] VR 100 Re Cain [1950] VLR 382 Re Clarke [1901] 2 Ch 110 Re Denley's Trust Deed [1969] 1 Ch 373 Re Gillingham Bus Disaster Fund [1958] 1 Ch 300 Re Macgregor (1932) 32 SR (NSW) 483 Re Mathew [1951] VLR 226 Re Price [1943] Ch 422 Re Smith [1932] 1 Ch 153 Re South Place Ethical Society [1980] 1 WLR 1565 Re Stewart's Will Trusts [1962] QWN 24 Re Stratton [1931] 1 Ch 197 Re Thackrah [1939] 2 All ER 4 Re Thompson [1934] Ch 342 Re Topham [1938] 1 All ER 181 Re Wilson's Grant [1960] VR 514 Re Wood (dec'd) [1949] Ch 498 Reel v Holder [1979] 1 WLR 1252 Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne v Lawlor (1934) 51 CLR 1 Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals v Coshott (Hodgson J 7.8.97) Scandrett v Dowling (1992) 27 NSWLR 483 Serbian Orthodox Church Congregation of St Demetrius of Akron v Keleman 256 NE (2d) 212 (Ohio SC) (1970) Serbian Orthodox Diocese for the United States of America v Milivojevich 426 US 696 (US Supreme Court) (1976) Serbian Orthodox Ecclesiastical School Community 'St Nikolas' Queensland v Vlaislavljevic [1970] QdR 386 Strathalbyn Jumping Club Inc v Mayes [2001] SASC 73 The Trustees of the Londonderry Presbyterian Church House v Commissioners of Inland Revenue [1946] NI 178 Thornton v Howe (1862) 31 Beav 14; 54 ER 1042 Tidex v The Trustees Executors & Agency Co Ltd [1971] 2 NSWLR 453 Vick v Toivonen (1913) 12 DLR 299 Watson v Jones 80 US 679 (1871) Williams' Trustees v IRC [1947] AC 447 Wylde v AG (1948) 78 CLR 224 DECISION : See paras 213-218.