Graham v Graham [2011] NSWSC 504

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Graham v Graham [2011] NSWSC 504 Hearing dates: 23, 24 May 2011 Decision date: 03 June 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen AsJ Decision: (i) Having found that the Plaintiff is an eligible person and that the provision made for her in the Will of the deceased is inadequate, order that the Plaintiff receive a lump sum of $1,100,000. (ii) The first Defendant should be allowed an opportunity to decide the manner in which he will satisfy the payment of the lump sum, and, therefore, which property should be the subject of a notional estate order. (iii) The lump sum should be paid within 28 days of the making of orders, or within such other time as the parties agree, failing which, interest on any amount not so paid, should be paid, such interest to be calculated at the rate prescribed on unpaid legacies by the Probate & Administration Act , 1898, from that date until the date of payment. (iv) If the parties are unable to reach agreement on the way in which the lump sum is to be paid, I shall, hear further short submissions on which property should be designated as notional estate, and any consequential orders. (v) Subject to any argument about costs, I would propose to make the usual order for costs. (vi) The Exhibits should be dealt with in accordance with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules and the Court Books may be returned. (vii) The parties are to bring in short minutes. (viii) The proceedings are adjourned to a date to be fixed. Catchwords: The Plaintiff, the widow of the deceased, sought a family provision order out of the estate or notional estate of the deceased and an order designating property as notional estate - The deceased provided for the whole of his estate to pass to his children by his first marriage - Large estate and notional estate - Whether provision should be made for the Plaintiff and, if so, the nature of the provision to be made Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 NSW Succession Act 2006 Probate & Administration Act 1898 Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Allardice, Allardice v Allardice, In Re (1910) 29 NZLR 959 Allen (deceased); Allen, in re v Manchester [1922] NZLR 218 Anasson v Phillips (NSWSC, 4 March, 1988, unreported) Anslow v Journeaux & Anor [2009] VSC 250 Aroney v Aroney (McLelland J 26 July, 1988) Auckland City Mission, The v The Salvation Army & Ors [2002] NZCA 33 Bladwell v Davis [2004] NSWCA 170 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Buckland v Trustees Executors and Agency Co. Limited (1966) 40 ALJR 164 Buckland deceased, re Clifford v Mayr [2010] NSWCA 6 Collins v McGain [2003] NSWCA 190 Cooper v Dungan (1976) 50 ALJR 539 Crewe (deceased); Crewe, in re v Corbett [1956] NZLR 315 D'Albora v D'Albora [1999] NSWSC 468 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall [No 3] [2007] WASCA 235; (2007) 35 WAR 127 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Grainger v The Public Trustee (SCt of WA, Library No 950670, 6 December 1995, unreported) Gregory v Hudson (No. 2) (18 September 1997, unreported) Luciano v Rosenblum [1985] 2 NSWLR 65 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 Magill v Magill [2006] HCA 51; (2006) 226 CLR 551 Marshall v Carruthers [2002] NSWCA 47 Marshall v Carruthers; Marshall v Marshall [2002] NSWCA 47 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Neil v Jacovou [2011] NSWSC 87 Permanent Trustee Co Ltd v Fraser (1995) 36 NSWLR 24 Petschelt v Petschelt [2002] NSWSC 706 Pogorelic v Banovich & Ors [2007] WASC 45 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales [1962] HCA 19; (1961) 107 CLR 9 Puckridge, Deceased, In the Estate of (1978) 20 SASR 72 Richard v AXA [2000] VSC 341 Samsley v Barnes [1990] NSWCA 161; (1991) DFC 95-100 Sayer v Sayer; Garbutt v Sayer (1999) NSWCA 340 Singer v Berghouse (No 2) [1994] HCA 40; (1994) 181 CLR 201 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Tchadovitch v Tchadovitch [2010] NSWCA 316 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker, NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported Welsh v Mulcock [1924] NZLR 673 Wentworth v Wentworth [1992] NSWCA 268 Worladge v Doddridge (1957) 97 CLR 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Margaret Elizabeth Graham (Plaintiff) Ian Ross Graham (first Defendant) ACN 065 403 572 Pty Ltd ATF "The AJ Graham Family Trust" (second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr L J Ellison SC (Plaintiff) Mr M S Willmott SC; Mr A P Cheshire (Defendants) Solicitors: Miller Noyce Lawyers (Plaintiff) Clinch Long Letherbarrow with Cropper Parkhill (Defendants) File Number(s): 2010/61509