Williams v Public Trustee of New South Wales (No 2) [2007] NSWSC 974

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Williams v Public Trustee of New South Wales (No 2) [2007] NSWSC 974

HEARING DATE(S) : 6, 7, 20 & 21 August 2007 and later written submissions in reply from Plaintiff

JUDGMENT DATE : 4 September 2007

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Probate List

JUDGMENT OF : Palmer J

DECISION : Judgment for the Defendant on the Plaintiff's Amended Statement of Claim.

CATCHWORDS : SUCCESSION – WILLS – Plaintiff sought probate of informal will – whether Court satisfied that Deceased had executed informal will - TESTAMENTARY CAPACITY – Whether deceased had testamentary capacity at time of earlier will.

LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) – s.136 Wills, Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) – s.18A(1)

- Bailey v Bailey (1924) 34 CLR 558 - Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR5QB 549 - Burnside v Mulgrew [2007] NSWSC 550 CASES CITED : - Eger, Re; Helprin v Eger (unrep) NSWSC 4 February 1985 per Powell J - Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 - Jeans v Cleary [2006] NSWSC 647 - R v Doney (2001) 126 A Crim R 271 - Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698

PARTIES : Susan Diane Williams (aka Dionnet) – Plaintiff Public Trustee of New South Wales – Defendant

FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 106723/06

COUNSEL : L.J. Ellison SC – Plaintiff P. Hallen SC – Defendant

SOLICITORS : David Pain & Co – Plaintiff Clinch Neville Long – Defendant

106723/06 Williams v Public Trustee of New South Wales (No 2)

JUDGMENT 4 September, 2007