Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Hearing dates: 15 & 16 February 2012; 6 March 2012 Decision date: 26 March 2012 Before: Hallen AsJ Decision: (a)The Plaintiffs' Summons is dismissed. (b)There will be no order as to the Plaintiffs' costs of the proceedings, to the intent that they are to pay their own costs. (c)Any argument as to who is to bear the burden of the Defendant's costs of the proceedings, including reserved costs, is adjourned to a date to be fixed, which date is to be no earlier than 14 days following the Defendant entering into a contract for the sale of the Yagoona property and prior to any contract being completed. (d)The Court Book, the exhibits and subpoenaed material may be returned forthwith; with any exhibits returned to be retained intact by the party, or person who produced the material until the expiry of the time to file an appeal, or until any appeal has been determined. Catchwords: SUCCESSION - Claims by the daughter and two grandchildren of the deceased for a family provision order under Succession Act 2006 - The Defendant is the executor named in Will of the deceased, to whom Probate was granted - It opposes the Plaintiffs' claims - Whether factors warrant the making of the grandchildren's application - Whether the provision made for each Plaintiff is adequate - If not, whether family provision orders should be made Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Family Provision Act 1982 NSW Trustee and Guardian Act 2009 Property (Relationships) Act 1984 Succession Act 2006 Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Practice Note SC Eq 7 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Allen (Dec'd), In re; Allen v Manchester [1922] NZLR 218 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 Cooper v Dungan (1976) 50 ALJR 539 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) [2007] WASCA 235; (2007) 35 WAR 127 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54; (2009) 2ASTLR 89 Evans v Levy [2011] NSWCA 125 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Fulop Deceased, Re (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Glynne v NSW Trustee and Guardian; Lindsay v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2011] NSWSC 535 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Re Estate of Hakim; Simons v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd [2005] NSWSC 223 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 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Kleinig v Neal (No 2) [1981] 2 NSWLR 532 MacEwan Shaw v Shaw [2003] VSC 318 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566 McGrath v Eves [2005] NSWSC 1006 McKenzie v Baddeley [1991] NSWCA 197 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 O'Dea v O'Dea [2005] NSWSC 46 Penfold v Perpetual Trustee [2002] NSWSC 648 Petrohilos v Hunter (1991) 25 NSWLR 343 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 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 Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Tramantana v Harborne; Clarke v Harborne; Midson v Harborne [2011] NSWSC 1129 Tsivinsky v Tsivinsky [1991] NSWCA 269 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Wendy Bowditch (first Plaintiff) Amiiy Fuge (second Plaintiff) Luke Wright (third Plaintiff) NSW Trustee and Guardian (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr G McCartney (sol) (first and second Plaintiffs) Ms M Cunningham (sol) (third Plaintiff) Ms V Hartstein (Defendant) Solicitors: Simmons & McCartney Lawyers & Attorneys (first and second Plaintiffs) Cunningham Legal (third Plaintiff) NSW Trustee and Guardian (Defendant) File Number(s): 2011/25494