Lumsdon v Gargano [2012] NSWSC 1169

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lumsdon v Gargano [2012] NSWSC 1169 Hearing dates: 18, 19 September 2012 Decision date: 23 October 2012 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen AsJ Decision: (i) Having found that the Plaintiff is an eligible person, being satisfied that there are factors which warrant the making of her application, and that the provision made for her in the Will of the deceased is inadequate for her proper maintenance or advancement in life, order that she receive out of the estate of the deceased, a lump sum of $195,000. (ii) Order that the provision made for the Plaintiff should be borne by the residuary estate. (iii) Order that no interest is to be paid on the lump sum if that lump sum is paid within 28 days of the making of these orders, or within such other time as the parties agree or the court otherwise orders; otherwise, interest calculated at the rate prescribed by s 84A(3) Probate and Administration Act 1898, on unpaid legacies, is to be paid from that date until the date of payment. (iv) Order that the costs of the parties shall be determined after further submissions unless agreement is reached between them. (v) The Exhibits should be dealt with in accordance with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 following the determination of the matters referred to in order (iv) above. (vi) Order that the Court Book be returned. (vii) Stand over the proceedings for the argument on costs. Catchwords: SUCCESSION - FAMILY PROVISION - The Plaintiff, the stepdaughter of the deceased, seeks a family provision order out of the estate of the deceased under the Succession Act 2006 - The Defendant, the natural daughter is the executrix to whom Probate granted - No dispute as to eligibility - Dispute as to factors warranting the making of the application - Period of about 13 years before deceased's death when no contact - Whether to make a family provision order - If order for provision made, how the burden of that provision should be borne Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 Powers of Attorney Act 2003 Probate and Administration Act 1898 Property (Relationships) Act 1984 Succession Act 1981 (Qld) Succession Act 2006 Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Allardice, In re; Allardice v Allardice (1909) 29 NZLR 959 Anasson v Phillips (NSWSC, 4 March 1988, unreported) Andrew v Andrew [2012] NSWCA 308 Barlevy v Nadolski [2011] NSWSC 129 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Brown v Faggoter [1998] NSWCA 44 Buckland v Trustees Executors and Agency Co Limited (1966) 40 ALJR 164 Buckland deceased, Re [1966] VR 404 Churton v Christian [1988] NSWCA 23; (1988) 13 NSWLR 241 Collins v McGain [2003] NSWCA 190 Cooper v Dungan (1976) 50 ALJR 539 Curran v Harvey [2012] NSWSC 276 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) [2007] WASCA 235; (2007) 35 WAR 127 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54; (2009) 2 ASTLR 89 Evans v Levy [2011] NSWCA 125 Fede v Dell'Arte [2010] NSWSC 1113 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Ford v Simes [2009] NSWCA 351 Freeman v Jaques [2005] QCA 423; [2006] 1 Qd R 318 Fry v Lukas; Brown v Fry; Estate of Honey; Application of Fry [2011] NSWSC 1329 Fulop Deceased, Re (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Gardiner v Gardiner (NSWSC, 28 May 1998, unreported) Goodman v Windeyer [1980] HCA 31; (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Graziani v Graziani (NSWSC, 20 February 1987, unreported) Hampson v Hampson [2010] NSWCA 359 Hunter v Hunter (1987) 8 NSWLR 573 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Keep v Bourke [2012] NSWCA 64 Kembrey v Cuskelly [2008] NSWSC 262 Lathwell v Lathwell [2008] WASCA 256 Lumb v McMillan [2007] NSWSC 386 McCosker v McCosker [1957] HCA 82; (1957) 97 CLR 566 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 Magill v Magill [2006] HCA 51; (2006) 226 CLR 551 Marshall v Carruthers; Marshall v Marshall [2002] NSWCA 47 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Palaganio v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 Palmer v Dolman; Dolman v Palmer [2005] NSWCA 361 Penfold v Perpetual Trustee [2002] NSWSC 648 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 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Samsley v Barnes [1990] NSWCA 161; (1991) DFC 95-100 Singer v Berghouse [1994] HCA 40; (1994) 181 CLR 201 Slack-Smith v Slack-Smith [2010] NSWSC 625 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Stiles v Joseph (NSWSC, 16 December 1996, unreported) Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Tsivinsky v Tsivinsky [1991] NSWCA 269 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (NSWSC, Young J, 17 May 1996, unreported) Wheatley v Wheatley [2006] NSWCA 262 Wilcox v Wilcox [2012] NSWSC 1138 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nancy Olive Lumsdon (Plaintiff) Chiara Gargano (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr F Austin (Plaintiff) Ms M Tibbey (Defendant) Solicitors: Gerard Malouf & Partners (Plaintiff) Logical Legal Solicitors & Barristers (Defendant) File Number(s): 2011/346836