CLEMENS v BYRNES [2007] NSWSC 421

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : CLEMENS v BYRNES [2007] NSWSC 421

HEARING DATE(S) : 31 August, 1 September, 8 September 2006

JUDGMENT DATE : 7 May 2007

JURISDICTION : Equity

JUDGMENT OF : Hall J at 1

DECISION : I have determined that there be provision for the plaintiffs out of the net residue of the Estate of the testator upon the following bases - (a) Mr Clemens, a 40% share of the net value of the Estate; (b) Mrs Chan, a 25% share of the net value of the Estate. That determination will result in Ms Byrnes having a 35% share of the net value of the Estate. I propose that the parties produce short minutes of order to give effect to this judgment. I reserve the question of costs and will, if necessary, hear submissions as to the appropriate order in that respect.

CATCHWORDS : Succession - Wills - testamentary capacity - testator suffering from schizophrenia and insane delusions - strained relationship between testator and two surviving children - whether the testator suffered from schizophrenia and insane delusions at the time of making his Will - whether a claim pursuant to the Family Provision Act is available to the surviving children

LEGISLATION CITED : Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Guardianship Act 1987 (NSW)

Bailey v Bailey (1924) 34 CLR 558 Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Battan Singh v Amirchand [1948] AC 161 Blore v Lang (1960) 104 CLR 124 Bull v Fulton (1942) 66 CLR 295 Coates v National Trustees Executors & Aency Co Limited (1956) 95 CLR 494 Dolman v Palmer (2005) NSWCA 361 Eather v Maher [2006] NSWSC 746 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parkes (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hughes v National Trustees Executors & Agency Co (Australasia) Limited (1979) 43 CLR 134 CASES CITED : Hunter v Hunter (1987) 8 NSWLR 573 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kleinig v Neal (Nw 2) [1981] 2 NSWLR 532 McDougall v Rogers [2006] NSWSC 484 Re Allen, deceased; Allen v Manchester (1922) NZLR 218 Re Estate of Griffith (1995) 217 ALR 284 Re Estate of Paul Francis Hodges Deceased; Re Will of Bishop (deceased); Flynn v Roccisano [2004] VSC 346 Re Fulop (1987) 1 NSWLR 679 Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 699 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201 Stern v Engel (2001) NSWSC 1025 Vigolo v Bostin & ORs (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (Young J, unreported 17 May 1996)