Scott v Scott [2009] NSWSC 567

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Scott v Scott [2009] NSWSC 567

HEARING DATE(S) : 27 and 28 May and 1 June 2009

JUDGMENT DATE : 19 June 2009

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Family Provision Act List

JUDGMENT OF : Ward J

DECISION : Plaintiff and defendant/cross-claimant each succeed in part. Order for provision made in favour of defendant/cross-claimant.

CATCHWORDS : EQUITY – trusts and trustees – resulting trusts – wife provided entire purchase price for matrimonial home acquired in names of husband and wife as tenants in common in unequal shares – whether presumption of resulting trust rebutted – held that presumption rebutted. - REAL PROPERTY – joint tenancy and tenancy in common – property held by husband and wife as joint tenants – whether joint tenancy severed by conduct or agreement in course of separation and informal division of property – held that joint tenancy severed by conduct. - SUCCESSION – family provision and maintenance – failure by testator to make sufficient provision for applicant – whether inadequate provision made for deceased's wife – entire estate left to minor grandchild – relevance of separation and informal division of property shortly before death – considerations finely balanced – held that inadequate provision made – modest legacy ordered.

Conveyancing Act 1919 LEGISLATION CITED : Family Law Act 1975 Family Provision Act 1982 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Abela v Public Trustee [1983] 1 NSWLR 308 Armstrong v Sloan [2002] VSC 229 Black v Black (2008) Fam LR 503 Bladwell v Davis [2004] NSWSC 170 Buffery v Buffery & Anor [2006] NSWSC 1349 Burgess v Rawnsley [1975] 2 Ch 449 Calverley v Green (1984) 155 CLR 242 Churton v Christian (1988) 13 NSWLR 241 Corin v Patton (1990) 169 CLR 540 Cropley v Cropley [2002] NSWSC 349 Damberg v Damberg [2001] NSWCA 87 Dijkhuijs (formerly Coney) v Barclay (1988) 13 NSWLR 639 Drever v Drever [1936] ALR 446 Ernst v Mowbray [2004] NSWSC 1140 Fenato v Antonello [2006] NSWSC 763 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Grey v Harrison [1997] 2 VR 359 Groom v De Vandes (1805) 11 Ves Jun 330; 32 ER 1115 Kalmar v Kalmar [2006] NSWSC 437 Magill v Magill (1993) NSW Conv R 55-663 Minter v Minter (2000) 10 BPR 18,133 Mulcahy v Weldon [2001] NSWSC 474 Nicholls v Hall [2007] NSWCA 356 Nielson-Jones v Feddon [1935] 1 Ch R 222 CASES CITED : O'Loughlin v Low [2002] NSWSC 222 O'Shaughnessy v Mantle (1986) 7 NSWLR 142 On v On [2002] NTSC 18 Palmer v Dolman [2004] NSWCA 361 Permanent Trustee Co Limited v Fraser (1995) 36 NSWLR 24 Pfeiffle v Pfeiffle (1989) 13 Fam LR 692 Prentice v Cummins (No 6) (2003) 134 FCR 449 Price v Roberts [1992] NSWCA 191 Public Trustee v Pfeiffle [1991] 1 VR 19 Re Allingham [1932] VLR 469 Re Clissold (deceased) [1970] 2 NSWR 619 Re Commonwealth Bank [2009] NSWSC 81 Re Debney [1960] SR (NSW) 471 Re Fulop deceased (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Re Gilbert (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 318 Re Mercer deceased [1977] 1 NZLR 469 Saleeba v Wilke [2007] QSC 298 Shepherd v Doolan [2005] NSWSC 42 Simons v Permanent Trustee [2005] NSWSC 223 Singer v Berghouse (No 2) (1994) 181 CLR 201 Slater v Slater (1987) 12 Fam LR 1 Smith v Smith (1986) 161 CLR 217 Sprott v Harper [2000] QCA 391 Vanvalen v Neaves [2005] NSWSC 593 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191 Worsley v Solomon [2008] NSWSC 444