Smith & Anor v Smith [2011] NSWSC 938

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Smith & Anor v Smith [2011] NSWSC 938 Hearing dates: 22 August 2011; 23 August 2011 Decision date: 31 August 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen AsJ Decision: Direct the parties to bring in short minutes of order to reflect these reasons. Stand the proceedings over to a mutually convenient date to make orders and, if agreement cannot be reached, for argument as to costs. Catchwords: Summons filed by two Plaintiffs, each of whom is a son of the deceased - the oldest son of the deceased and the executor named in the deceased's Will is Defendant - no provision made for each Plaintiff in Will of the deceased - real issue is nature and quantum of provision, if any, to be made for each Plaintiff - Small estate - Also proceedings commenced in the Common Law Division, in which possession of real estate owned by the deceased was sought - failure by Plaintiffs to comply with orders of the Court in those proceedings - Modest provision to be made for each Plaintiff Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 Succession Act 2006 Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Cases Cited: Barna v Barna [2008] NSWSC 1408 Blore v Lang (1960) 104 CLR 124 Bondelmonte v Blanckensee [1989] WAR 305 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Collins v McGain [2003] NSWCA 190 Cooper v Dungan (1976) 50 ALJR 539 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall [No 3] [2007] WASCA 235; (2007) 35 WAR 127 Diver v Neal [2008] NSWSC 304 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hawkins v Prestage (1989) 1 WAR 37 Hughes v National Trustees, Executors and Agency Co of Australasia Ltd [1979] HCA 2; (1979) 143 CLR 134 Kleinig v Neal (No 2) [1981] 2 NSWLR 532 Leaway v Newcastle City Council (No 2) [2005] NSWSC 826; (2005) 220 ALR 757 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566 McGrath v Eves [2005] NSWSC 1006 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Permanent Trustee Company v Fraser (1995) 36 NSWLR 24 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales [1962] HCA 19; (1961) 107 CLR 9, per Dixon CJ at 19) Puckridge, Deceased, In the Estate of (1978) 20 SASR 72 Samsley v Barnes [1990] NSWCA 161; (1991) DFC 95-100 Singer v Berghouse (No 2) [1994] HCA 40; (1994) 181 CLR 201 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Tchadovitch v Tchadovitch [2010] NSWCA 316 Thom v The Public Trustee (NSWSC, 2 April, 1992, unreported) Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Keith Milton Smith (first Plaintiff) Darren Robert Smith (second Plaintiff) Colin William Edward Smith (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M Thompson (Plaintiffs) Ms J Needham SC; Mr S Chapple (Defendant) Solicitors: Gerard Malouf & Partners (Plaintiffs) Robbins Watson Solicitors (Defendant) File Number(s): 2010/426728