Kerr & anor v Badran & anor Estate of Badran [2004] NSWSC 735

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Kerr & anor v Badran & anor Estate of Badran [2004] NSWSC 735 HEARING DATE(S) : 20, 21, 22, 23 and 27 July 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 17 August 2004

JURISDICTION: Equity Division Probate List JUDGMENT OF : Windeyer J at 1 DECISION : 1995 will admitted to probate

CATCHWORDS : SUCCESSION – Probate – Testamentary capacity – testator aged at date of will – evidence of some irrational behaviour spread over period of years before and after date of will – whether doubt raised sufficient to determine will not valid – requirement for deceased to understand extent of assets – consideration of Banks v Goodfellow test in modern world LEGISLATION CITED : Family Provision Act 1982 Bailey v Bailey (1924) 34 CLR 558 Banks v Goodfellow [1870] 5 QB 549 Commercial Union Assurance Company of Australia Limited v Ferrcom Pty Ltd (1991) 22 NSWLR 389 CASES CITED : Estate of Griffith dec'd; Easter v Griffiths ( unreported NSWCA 7 June 1995) Estate of Hodges dec'd; Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698. Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 R v GEC [2001] 3 VR 334 Worth v Clasohm (1952) 86 CLR 439 John Kerr (First Plaintiff) PARTIES : Raymond Badran (Second Plaintiff) Maurice Badran (First Defendant) Joyce Freije (Second Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 119957 of 2002 Mr J Simpkins SC (Plaintiffs) COUNSEL : Mr C Evatt with him Mr MK Rollinson (First Defendant) Mr M Cashion SC with him Mr P Bolster (Second Defendant) Home Wilkinson Lowry (Plaintiffs) SOLICITORS : Newman and Associates (First Defendant) Vandervords (Second Defendant)