Dickman v Holley; Estate of Simpson [2013] NSWSC 18

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Dickman v Holley; Estate of Simpson [2013] NSWSC 18 Hearing dates: 29-31 May; 1 June 2012 Decision date: 31 January 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Probate List Before: White J Decision: Counsel for the plaintiff to bring in short minutes of order consistent with reasons. Catchwords: WILLS, PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION - probate - application for the revocation of the grant of probate - whether constructive trust arose from testator's representations - whether claim for revocation of probate barred by reason of delay - whether testator lacked testamentary capacity - whether will procured by undue influence - whether will executed in suspicious circumstances - whether testator knew and approved contents of will - whether executor liable to reimburse distributed estate after revocation of probate - whether executor protected by notice given under Wills, Probate and Administration Act, s 92(1) - Wills, Probate and Administration Act 1898, s 40D(2) - good faith Legislation Cited: Protected Estates Act 1983 Wills, Probate and Administration Act 1898 Limitation Act 1969 Court of Probate Act 1857 (UK) Administration of Estates Act 1925 (UK) Trustee Act 1908 Administration Act 1908 (NZ) Cases Cited: Plunkett v Bull (1915) 19 CLR 544 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Public Trustee v Guardian Trust and Executors Company of New Zealand Limited [1939] NZLR 613 Romascu v Manolacke [2011] NSWSC 1362 Newell v Weeks (1814) 2 Phill. Ecc. 224; 161 ER 1126 Merryweather v Turner (1844) 3 Curt 802; 163 ER 907 Mohan v Broughton [1899] P 211 Bramston v Morris (Powell J, Supreme Court of New South Wales, unreported, 20 August 1993; BC9303644) Willis v Earl Beauchamp (1886) LR 11 PD 59 Blake v Knight (1843) 3 Curt 547; 163 ER 821 In re Goode (1890) 11 NSWR (Eq) 281 Re Coglan; Briscoe v Broughton [1948] 2 All ER 68 In Re Flynn [1982] 1 WLR 310 Bowler v Bowler (Young J, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 18 December 1989, unreported; BC8901301) Ministry of Health v Simpson [1951] AC 251 Nudd v Mannix [2010] NSWCA 127 Hoff v Atherton [2005] WTLR 99 at 108, 117; Petrovski v Nasev [2011] NSWSC 1275 Read v Carmody [1998] NSWCA 182 King v Hudson [2009] NSWSC 1013 Re Estate of Church [2012] NSWSC 1489 Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Trustee for the Salvation Army (NSW) Property Trust v Becker [2007] NSWCA 136; (2007) 14 BPR 26,867 Vernon v Watson [2002] NSWSC 600 Pates v Craig, The Estate of Cole (Santow J, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 28 August 1995, unreported; BC9505250) Petrovski v Nasev; The Estate of Janakievska [2011] NSWSC 1275 Hall v Hall (1868) LR 1 P & D 481 Guardian Trust and Executors Company New Zealand Limited v Public Trustee of New Zealand [1942] AC 115 Newton v Sherry (1876) 1 CPD 246 McGrath v Troy [2010] NSWSC 1470 Woolley v Clark (1822) 5 B & Ald 744; 106 ER 1363; 1 Dow & Ry 409 Texts Cited: Geddes, Rowland & Studdert, Wills Probate and Administration Law in New South Wales, LBC Information Services 1996 Category: Principal judgment Parties: David Wilfred Dickman (Plaintiff) Peter Ezekiel Holley (1st Defendant) The Salvation Army (NSW) Property Trust (2nd Defendant) Representation: Counsel: I E Davidson SC with V Brigden (Plaintiff) L Ellison SC with P Wallis & B Eurell (Defendants) Solicitors: Michael Kerridge & Company (Plaintiff) Gadens (Defendants) File Number(s): 2010/352727; 2010/240893