Tramantana v Harborne; Clarke v Harborne; Midson v Harborne [2011] NSWSC 1129

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Tramantana v Harborne; Clarke v Harborne; Midson v Harborne [2011] NSWSC 1129 Hearing dates: 19, 20 & 21 September 2011 Decision date: 20 October 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen AsJ Decision: (i) The proceedings commenced by Michelle Tramantana are dismissed. (ii) Having found that the Plaintiff, Joe-Anne Clarke, is an eligible person, and that the provision made for her in the Will of the deceased is inadequate, order that she receive, in lieu of that provision, a lump sum of $100,000, the burden of which provision shall be paid out of residue of the estate; (iii) No interest is to be paid on the lump sum if it is paid within 28 days of the making of these orders; otherwise, interest calculated at the rate prescribed by the Probate and Administration Act 1898, on unpaid legacies, is to be paid from that date until the date of payment; (iv) Having found that the Plaintiff, Brooke Anne Midson, and the Plaintiff, Harley Midson, is each not an eligible person within the meaning of the Act, and also that there are no factors warranting the making of her, and his, application, the proceedings commenced by each is dismissed. (v) Reserve question of costs for further argument and stand the matter over to a date to be agreed. Catchwords: Three different proceedings, each a claim for a family provision order - Two applications are by daughters of deceased - Third application by two grandchildren of deceased - Defendants are executor named in Will of deceased, to whom Probate was granted, and the person said to be the de facto partner of the deceased at the date of his death - Additional issue in the proceedings brought by one Plaintiff relates to whether one of the properties, owned by the deceased, is held in trust for her. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Family Provision Act 1982 Probate and Administration Act 1898 Property (Relationships) Act 1984 Succession Act 2006 Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Cases Cited: Amaca Pty Ltd v Novek [2009] NSWCA 50 Blore v Lang (1960) 104 CLR 124 Bondelmonte v Blanckensee [1989] WAR 305 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Brown v Faggoter [1998] NSWCA 44 Churton v Christian (1988) 13 NSWLR 241 Collins v McGain [2003] NSWCA 190 Como v Helmers [2011] WASC 179 Cooper v Dungan (1976) 50 ALJR 539 Delaforce v Simpson-Cook [2010] NSWCA 84 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) [2007] WASCA 235; (2007) 35 WAR 127 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Donis v Donis [2007] VSCA 89 Evans v Levy [2011] NSWCA 125 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Ford v Simes [2009] NSWCA 351 Fulop Deceased, Re (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Galaxidis v Galaxidis [2004] NSWCA 111 Giumelli v Giumelli (1996) 196 CLR 101 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hampson v Hampson [2010] NSWCA 359 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 Hunter v Hunter (1987) 8 NSWLR 573 Kleinig v Neal (No 2) [1981] 2 NSWLR 532 Lathwell, as Executrix of the Estate of Gilbert Thorley Lathwell (Dec) v Lathwell [2008] WASCA 256 MacEwan Shaw v Shaw [2003] VSC 318 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566 McGrath v Eves [2005] NSWSC 1006 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 O'Dea v O'Dea [2005] NSWSC 46 Palmer v Dolman; Dolman v Palmer [2005] NSWCA 361 Pascoe v Turner [1979] 1 WLR 431 Penfold v Perpetual Trustee [2002] NSWSC 648 Permanent Trustee Company v Fraser (1995) 36 NSWLR 24 Petrohilos v Hunter (1991) 25 NSWLR 343 Plimmer v Mayor of Wellington (1884) 9 AC 699 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales [1962] HCA 19; (1962) 107 CLR 9 Porthouse v Bridge [2007] NSWSC 686 Puckridge, Deceased, In the Estate of (1978) 20 SASR 72 Samsley v Barnes [1990] NSWCA 161; (1991) DFC 95-100 Sayer v Sayer [1999] NSWCA 340 Simons v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd: Estate D Hakim [2005] NSWSC 223 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 Sullivan v Sullivan [2006] NSWCA 312 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Tsivinsky v Tsivinsky [1991] NSWCA 269 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported) Zahra v Francica [2009] NSWSC 1206 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Michelle Tramantana (Plaintiff in 2010/309744) Joe-Anne Clarke (Plaintiff in 2010/383588) Brooke Anne Midson (First Plaintiff in 2010/391072) Harley Midson (by his tutor Brooke Anne Midson) (Second Plaintiff in 2010/391072) Roger Harborne executor of the Estate of the late Joseph Tramantana (First Defendant) Gwen Hancock (Second Defendant) Representation: Mr M B Evans (Plaintiff in 2010/309744) Mr N Bilinsky (Plaintiff in 2010/383588) Mr K Morrissey (Plaintiff in 2010/391072) Ms E Glover (first and second Defendants) in each matter Brydens (Plaintiff in 2010/309744) Marriott Oliver (Plaintiff in 2010/383588) Breens Solicitors (Plaintiff in 2010/391072) RMB Legal (first Defendant) Marsdens (second Defendant) File Number(s): 2010/309744; 2010/383588; 2010/391072