McMahon v Smith; Turner v Smith; and Smith v Smith [2011] NSWSC 487

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: McMahon v Smith; Turner v Smith; and Smith v Smith [2011] NSWSC 487 Hearing dates: 24 February 2011; 25 February 2011; 4 April 2011 Decision date: 03 June 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen AsJ Decision: (a) Being satisfied that each is an eligible person, I conclude that each of Mathew and Ebony has satisfied the jurisdictional threshold. In the case of Kristy, I am not so satisfied. (b) Order that Mathew receive a lump sum of $40,000 and that Ebony should receive a lump sum of $30,000. (c) Order that the proceedings commenced by Kristy be dismissed. (d) I stand the proceedings over to enable the parties to bring in short minutes dealing with these matters. At that time, unless the parties are able to agree, I shall deal with consequential orders to give effect to the orders for provision and the question of costs and whether those costs should be capped. Catchwords: Three proceedings heard together, with evidence in one, being evidence in the others - Plaintiff in first proceedings - son of the deceased - Plaintiff in second proceedings - former de facto wife of the deceased, and mother of the Plaintiff in the first proceedings - Plaintiff in third proceedings - daughter of the deceased with whom he had virtually no contact from shortly after the time of her birth - Defendant - widow of Deceased - Property held by the deceased and the Defendant as joint tenants Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 Succession Act 2006 Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Wills, Probate & Administration Act 1898 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Ball v Newey (1988) 13 NSWLR 489 (NSWCA, 18 June 1991, unreported) Bladwell v Davis [2004] NSWCA 170 Blyth v Spencer; Spencer v Neville [2005] NSWSC 653 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Brown v Faggoter (NSWCA, 13 November 1998, unreported) Burton v Moss [2010] NSWSC 163 Campbell v Chabert-McKay [2010] NSWSC 859 Cetojevic v Cetojevic [2006] NSWSC 431 Challenger Property Asset Management Pty Ltd v Stonnington City Council [2011] VSC 184 Churton v Christian (1988) 13 NSWLR 241; [1988] NSWCA 23 Coates v National Trustees Executors and Agency Co Ltd & Anor (1956) 95 CLR 494 Coffey v Bennett [1961] VR 264 Collins v McGain [2003] NSWCA 190 Cooper v Dungan (1976) 50 ALJR 539 D'Albora v D'Albora [1999] NSWSC 468 De Winter v Johnstone (NSWCA, 23 August 1995, unreported), Devereaux-Warnes v Hall [No 3] [2007] WASCA 235; (2007) 35 WAR 127 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Durham v Durham [2010] NSWSC 389; [2011] NSWCA 62 Electricity Commission of NSW v Arrow (1994) 85 LGERA 418 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Fulop Deceased, Re (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Gibson v Haselgrove; Delmont v Haselgrove [2009] NSWSC 496 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hastings v Hastings [2010] NSWCA 197 John v John [2010] NSWSC 937 Lewis v Lewis & Anor [2001] NSWSC 321 McCosker v McCosker [1957] HCA 52; (1957) 97 CLR 566 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 McLeod v Johns [1981] 1 NSWLR 347 Mansfield v Mansfield [2003] WASC 214 Marland (dec), Re [1957] VR 338 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Menzies v Marriott [2009] VSC 345 Nassim (dec), Re [1984] VR 51 Penfold v Perpetual Trustee [2002] NSWSC 648 Petschelt v Petschelt [2002] NSWSC 706 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales [1962] HCA 19; (1961) 107 CLR 9 Porthouse v Bridge [2007] NSWSC 686 Puckridge, Deceased, In the Estate of, (1978) 20 SASR 72 Robinson v Tame (NSWCA, 9 December 1994, unreported) Singer v Berghouse (No 2) [1994] HCA 40; (1994) 181 CLR 201 Skinner v Frappell [2008] NSWCA 296 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Tsivinsky v Tsivinsky (NSWCA, 5 December 1991, unreported) Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported) Wentworth v Wentworth [1992] NSWCA 268 Zirkler v McKinnon [2002] NSWSC 285 Texts Cited: Government Gazette No. 38 of 20 February 2009 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mathew McMahon (aka Turner) (Plaintiff) (2009/291280) Kristy Ann Turner (Plaintiff) (2009/291281) Ebony Smith (Plaintiff) (2011/48505) Clara Smith (aka Clara Gomes & Clara Evans) (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr P Sternberg (Plaintiff) (2009/291280 & 2009/291281) Mr J D Shaw (Plaintiff) (2011/48505) Mr D Flaherty (Defendant) Solicitors: Elias Gates & Associates (Plaintiff) (2009/291280 & 2009/291281) WA Baxter & Co (Plaintiff) (2011/48505) Quinn Lawyers (Defendant) File Number(s): 2009/291280; 2009/291281; and 2011/48505 Publication restriction: