McCoy v Estate Peter Anthony Caelli [2008] NSWSC 986

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : McCoy v Estate Peter Anthony Caelli [2008] NSWSC 986

HEARING DATE(S) : 4 September 2008

JUDGMENT DATE : 23 September 2008

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Duty List

JUDGMENT OF : Brereton J

DECISION : Unilateral transfer effects severance only upon registration. Registrar-General restrained from registering unilateral transfer.

CATCHWORDS : REAL PROPERTY – Torrens title – unilateral severance of joint tenancy – (NSW) Real Property Act 1900, s 97 – where transfer severing joint tenancy lodged with Registrar-General after death of joint tenant – application by surviving joint tenant to restrain registration – whether joint tenancy is unilaterally severed only on registration of transfer – entitlement to property pursuant to right of survivorship operates independently and prior to registration – whether possible to sever joint tenancy in equity before registration – modes of equitable severance of joint tenancy – whether execution of transfer severing joint tenancy sufficient of itself to sever joint tenancy in equity – whether deceased had irrevocably done all things necessary on his part to sever the joint tenancy. - PROCEDURE – application for interlocutory injunction – Courts should attempt to determine questions of law on interlocutory applications where essential question is one of law – where facts uncontroversial.

LEGISLATION CITED : (NSW) Real Property Act 1900, ss 12A, 41(1), 97, 101 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules r 7.10(2)(a)

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Corin v Patton (1990) 169 CLR 540 Freed v Taffel [1984] 2 NSWLR 322 CASES CITED : In re Hewett [1894] 1 Ch 362 McNab v Earle [1981] 2 NSWLR 673 Patriche v Powlet (1740) 2 Atk 54, 26 ER 430 Williams v Hensman (1871) 1 J&H 546, 70 ER 862