Ford v Simes [2009] NSWCA 351

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Ford v Simes [2009] NSWCA 351

HEARING DATE(S): 30 September 2009

JUDGMENT DATE: 6 November 2009

JUDGMENT OF: Tobias JA at 1; Bergin CJ in Eq at 2; Handley AJA at 76

1. Leave is granted under s 5 of the Felons (Civil Proceedings) Act to bring the appeal. DECISION: 2. Leave to adduce additional evidence is refused. 3. Appeal is dismissed. 4. Appellant to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal, subject to any application for a different costs order to be made by the filing of a Notice of Motion within 14 days of today.

CATCHWORDS: PROCEDURE – Leave sought to adduce additional evidence – Where evidence available at trial – Where high probability of different outcome not established - SUCCESSION – Family provision and maintenance – No provision made for appellant – Where appellant is son of deceased – Where appellant unilaterally abandoned relationship with deceased – Where appellant displayed hostility toward deceased – No contact between appellant and deceased for 14 years - Whether open to Trial Judge to find no "other special circumstances" present

Administration and Probate Act 1915 (Vic) Administration of Estates Act 1925 (UK) Family Protection Act 1955 (NZ) Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED: Felons (Civil Proceedings) Act 1981 (NSW) Probate Administration Act 1898 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Trustee Act 1925 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW)

Barker & Anors v Magee [2001] NSWSC 563 Benney v Jones (1991) 23 NSWLR 559 Cetojevic v Cetojevic [2006] NSWSC 431 Council of the City of Greater Wollongong v Cowan (1955) 93 CLR 435 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Ford v Simes [2008] NSWSC 1120 Hamzy v Commissioner of Corrective Services [2007] NSWSC 1469 Hodge v Griffiths [1940] Ch 260 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499 CASES CITED: Hughes v National Trustees, Executors and Agency Company of Australasia Ltd (1979) 143 CLR 134 In Re Allardice, Allardice v Allardice (1910) 29 NZLR 959 In Re Thorne v Sherson's Contract [1920] V.L.R. 50 McIntosh v Williams [1976] 2 NSWLR 237 Mulcahy v Weldon [2002] NSWCA 206 Palmer v Dolman; Dolman v Palmer [2005] NSWCA 361 Potier v Ruddock [2008] NSWSC 153 Re Heberley (Deceased) [1971] NZLR 325 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201 The Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith and Saint Charles Seminary, Perth v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9 Walker v Walker (unreported, NSWSC 17 May 1996) Wheatley v Wheatley [2006] NSWCA 262