Fairbairn v Varvaressos [2010] NSWCA 234

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Fairbairn v Varvaressos [2010] NSWCA 234 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S): 30 March 2010

JUDGMENT DATE: 15 September 2010

JUDGMENT OF: Campbell JA at 1; Macfarlan JA at 129; Young JA at 130

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs, including any costs arising from the Amended Notice of Appeal.

CATCHWORDS: WILLS & ESTATES – construction of will – clause determining the manner in which testator's house and contents would be dealt with – whether clause operated to cause remainder consequent on child K's death to vest in interest in two other children, D and I, from the date of testator's death, subject to defeasance if K died leaving one child above the age of 21 – ascertaining basic scheme of will as aid to construction – drawing assistance from the presumption against intestacy – vesting of a gift – whether Boraston's case was misapplied – preference for construing gift as vested – distinction between vested estates in land and contingent remainders – authorities discussed - REAL PROPERTY – vested and future contingent interests – whether limitation amounts to vested remainder or contingent remainder – discussion of concepts of "vested", "estate in land" and "contingent remainder" – relevance of Luddington v Kime – contingent remainders as property rights

Conveyancing Act 1919 Probate and Administration Act 1898 LEGISLATION CITED: Statute of Uses 1535 Statute of Wills 1540 Succession Act 2006 Wills Probate and Administration Act 1898

CATEGORY: Principal judgment

Boraston's Case (1587) 3 Co Rep 19a; 76 ER 668 Bruce v Charlton (1842) 13 Sim 65; 60 ER 26 Coorey v George (27 February 1986, unreported) Duffield v Duffield (1829) 1 Dow & Clark 268; 6 ER 525 Fairbairn v Varvaressos (Palmer J, 13 May 2009, unreported) Fairbairn v Varvaressos [2009] NSWSC 272 Hammersley v Newton [2005] WASC 221; [2005] 30 WAR 568 Hickling v Fair [1899] AC 15 Hume v Perpetual Trustees Executors and Agency Company of Tasmania Limited (1939) 62 CLR 242 In Re Firth; Loveridge v Firth [1914] 2 Ch 386 In Re Sanders Trusts (1866) 1 Eq 675 In Re Skinner Deceased [1965] VR 660 CASES CITED: Kenna v Conolly (1938) 60 CLR 583 Luddington v Kime (1697) 1 Ld Raym 203; 91 ER 1031 National Provincial Bank Ltd v Ainsworth [1965] AC 1175 Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v Wright (1987) 9 NSWLR 18 Perpetual Trustee Company (Ltd) v Scheiler (1948) 49 SR (NSW) 169 Re Byrne Deceased [1967] VR 96 Re Ellenborough [1903] 1 Ch 697 Re Shannon [1968] NZLR 852 Re Toohey; ex parte Meneling Station Pty Ltd (1982) 158 CLR 327 Smell v Dee (1707) 2 Salk 415; 91 ER 360 Tailby v Official Receiver (1888) 13 AC 523 Taylor v Graham (1878) 3 AC 1287 Tompkins v Simmons (1931) 44 CLR 546 Wagstaff v Crosby (1846) 2 Coll 746; 63 ER 943