Russell v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2013] NSWSC 370

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Russell v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2013] NSWSC 370 Hearing dates: 19 March 2013 Decision date: 18 April 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen J Decision: (a) Order that the Plaintiff's Summons be dismissed. (b) Make no order as to the Plaintiff's costs to the intent that he will bear his own costs of the proceedings. (c) Order that the Defendant's costs, calculated on the indemnity basis, be paid, or retained, as the case may be, out of the estate of the deceased. Catchwords: SUCCESSION - FAMILY PROVISION - The Plaintiff seeks a family provision order out of the estate of the deceased under the Succession Act 2006 as a person who was a member of the household of which the deceased was a member and partly dependent on the deceased - The Defendant is the executor to whom Probate granted - Nearly whole estate left to charity - Dispute as to Plaintiff's eligibility and as to factors warranting the making of the application - Whether to make a family provision order - If order for provision made, how the burden of that provision should be borne - Plaintiff not eligible and no factors warranting the making of the application - No need to determine whether and if so, what family provision order should be made. Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 Family Law Act 1975 Family Provision Act 1982 Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) Act 1975 (UK) Property (Relationships) Act 1984 Probate and Administration Act 1898Succession Act 2006Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Cases Cited: Amaca Pty Ltd v Novek [2009] NSWCA 50 Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176Allardice, 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 Benney v Jones (NSWSC, 13 February 1990, unreported) Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Brown v Faggoter [1998] NSWCA 44 Churchill v Roach [2002] EWHC 3230; [2003] WTLR 779 Churton v Christian [1988] NSWCA 23; (1988) 13 NSWLR 241 Collins v McGain [2003] NSWCA 190 Cooper v Dungan (1976) 50 ALJR 539 Cormick; Re [1984] HCA 79; (1984) 156 CLR 170 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 Dix (dec'd), Re; Gully v Dix [2004] 1 WLR 1399 Evans v Levy [2011] NSWCA 125 Fede v Dell'Arte [2010] NSWSC 1113 Fiorentini v O'Neil [1998] NSWCA 79 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 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 Gray v Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (1987) 46 DLR 269 Graziani v Graziani (NSWSC, 20 February 1987, unreported) Hakim, Re Estate of; Simons v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd [2005] NSWSC 223 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Keep v Bourke [2012] NSWCA 64 Kembrey v Cuskelly [2008] NSWSC 262 Kingsland v McIndoe (1989) VR 273 Jenkins v Livesey (1985) AC 424 Lumsden v Sumner [2012] NSWSC 1440 Markulin v Drew (NSWSC, 12 August 1993, unreported) McCosker v McCosker [1957] HCA 82; (1957) 97 CLR 566 Mcgrath v Troy [2010] NSWSC 1470 McKenzie v Baddeley [1991] NSWCA 197 Maio v Sacco [2009] NSWSC 413 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Munro v Lake (NSWSC, 8 February 1991, unreported) Palaganio v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 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 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Samsley v Barnes [1990] NSWCA 161; (1991) DFC 95-100 Santos v Santos [1972] Fam. 247; [1972] 2 WLR 889 Simmons v Pizzey [1979] AC 37 Singer v Berghouse [1994] HCA 40; (1994) 181 CLR 201 Skinner v Frappell [2008] NSWCA 296 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 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Wagstaff v Wagstaff (NSWSC, 6 November 1991, unreported) Walker v Walker (NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported) Wilcox v Wilcox [2012] NSWSC 1138 Wolff v Deavin [2012] NSWSC 1315 Wright v Canadian Group Underwriters Insurance Co (2002) BCCA 254 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Tim Russell (Plaintiff) NSW Trustee & Guardian (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M Thompson (Plaintiff) Mr L Ellison SC (Defendant) Solicitors: Gerard Malouf & Partners (Plaintiff) NSW Trustee & Guardian (Defendant) File Number(s): 2011/212912