Arnott v Leong [2009] NSWSC 187

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Arnott v Leong [2009] NSWSC 187

HEARING DATE(S) : 18 March 2009

JUDGMENT DATE : 24 March 2009

JURISDICTION : Equity

JUDGMENT OF : Hamilton J

DECISION : Share disclaimed by one residuary beneficiary under will passed to the other residuary beneficiary, not as on intestacy.

CATCHWORDS : SUCCESSION [178] – Wills, probate and administration – Construction and effect of testamentary dispositions – Generally – Gifts to a class – What is a class – Class gift principle applies to a group whose members do not have sufficient connection to constitute a class if it is to be inferred that testator intended gift to be tantamount to a class gift.

LEGISLATION CITED : Succession Act 2006 s 42

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Allgood v Blake (1873) LR 8 Ex 160 Bain v Lescher (1840) 11 Sim 397; 59 ER 926 Coorey v George NSWSC Powell J 22 February 1986 unreported Fell v Fell (1922) 31 CLR 268 Hamersley v Newton (2005) 30 WAR 568 Hatzantonis v Lawrence [2003] NSWSC 914 Hyde v Holland [2003] NSWSC 733 In re Coleman and Jarrom (1876) 4 Ch D 165 CASES CITED : In re Crocombe deceased [1949] SASR 302 In re Peacock deceased. Midland Bank Executor and Trustee Co Ltd v Peacock [1957] Ch 310 In re Selby deceased; Cole v Cole [1952] VLR 273 In re Stratton's Disclaimer. Stratton v Inland Revenue Commissioners [1958] Ch 42 In re Woods [1931] 2 Ch 138 Kingsbury v Walter [1901] AC 187 Marks v Pope [2001] NSWSC 105 Peoples v Simpson [2005] NSWSC 355 Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v Wright Re Will of the Late James Paul Gee Cox (Junior) Deceased (1987) 9 NSWLR 18