Lo Surdo v Public Trustee & Anor [2003] NSWSC 837

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Lo Surdo v Public Trustee & Anor [2003] NSWSC 837 HEARING DATE(S) : 10 September 2003 JUDGMENT DATE : 17 September 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Gzell J DECISION : Application for summary termination and security for costs dismissed. Application for injunction dismissed.

CATCHWORDS : SUCCESSION - Family Provision and Maintenance - Plaintiff non-resident son of deceased - 'Affiliato' to Italian couple - Whether adopted or fostered - Adopted child entitled to inheritance in Italy, 'affiliato' not - Plaintiff registered to property in Italy by succession at law to Italian 'affilianti' - Whether proceedings should be summarily dismissed - Whether plaintiff should provide security for costs - Estate of deceased largely distributed to sister as sole residuary beneficiary - Application by plaintiff to have property designated as notional estate - Whether sister should be enjoined from dealing with property Family Provision Act 1982 LEGISLATION CITED : Adoption Act 2000 Supreme Court Rules 1970 Foreign Judgments Act 1973 Lieberman v Morris (1944) 69 CLR 69 at 85 Re Whiting [1938] SASR 188 King v Foster (unreported, CA (NSW), 7 December 1995) Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1948-1949) 78 CLR 62 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Swain Investments Ltd v Danumet Pty Ltd (unreported, SC (NSW), 5 May 1989) Connop v Varena Pty Ltd [1984] 1 NSWLR 71 Barton v Minister for Foreign Affairs (1984) 2 FCR 463 Kent Heating Ltd v Cook-on Gas Products Pty Ltd (1984) 59 ALR 277 CASES CITED : CBS Records Australia Ltd v Telmak Teleproducts (Aust) Pty Ltd (1987) 72 ALR 270 Singer v Berghouse (1993) 114 ALR 521 Re Simson decd; Simson v National Provincial Bank Ltd [1950] Ch 38 Re Ralphs decd; Ralphs v District Bank Ltd [1968] 1 WLR 1522 Re Gough decd; Gough v Fletcher (1973) 5 SASR 559 Massie v Laundy (unreported, SC (NSW), 7 February 1986) Deguara v Mercieca (unreported, SC (NSW) 23 August 1988) Packo v Packo (1989) 17 NSWLR 316 Moon v Gordon (unreported, SC (NSW), 30 April 1996) Carmelo Lo Surdo - Plaintiff PARTIES : The Public Trustee (as executor of the will of the late Carmela Cipolla) - 1st Defendant Iolanda Quagliero - 2nd Defendant FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 3317/02 COUNSEL : Mr R D Wilson - Plaintiff Mr V Ruta - 2nd Defendant N J Papallo & Co - Plaintiff SOLICITORS : P J Whitehead - 1st Defendant McBride, Harle & Martin Solicitors - 2nd Defendant