Nicholas v Nicholas [2013] NSWSC 697

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Nicholas v Nicholas [2013] NSWSC 697 Hearing dates: 20 May 2013 Decision date: 04 June 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen J Decision: Direct the parties, within 14 days, to bring in short minutes of order to give effect to the matters referred to in Paragraph 251 of these reasons for judgment. Catchwords: SUCCESSION - FAMILY PROVISION - The Plaintiffs, two grandchildren of the deceased, each applies for a family provision order under Chapter 3 of the Succession Act 2006 - The Defendant the son of the deceased, to whom Probate of the deceased's Will was granted and to whom the estate left, in equal shares, with another son who predeceased the deceased - Meaning of "beneficiary of the deceased person's estate" - Deceased son the father of the Plaintiffs - That each Plaintiff is an eligible person and that there are factors which warrant the making of his and her application not in dispute - Whether adequate and proper provision not made in Will of the deceased for each Plaintiff - Nature of family provision order to be made - How the burden of provision made in favour of each Plaintiff and the costs ordered to be paid should be borne 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 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Allardice, In re; Allardice v Allardice (1910) 29 NZLR 959 Andrew v Andrew [2012] NSWCA 308; (2012) 81 NSWLR 656 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Borebor v Keane [2013] VSC 35 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Bowyer v Wood [2007] SASC 327; (2007) 99 SASR 190 Cameron v Read (1887) 13 VLR 849 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 Estate of the late Harrigan, Re; Cowmey v Whibley [2012] NSWSC 291 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Franks v Franks [2013] NSWCA 60 Gardiner v Gardiner (NSWSC, 28 May 1998, unreported) Gonzales v Claridades [2003] NSWSC 508; (2003) 58 NSWLR 188 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hakim, Re Estate of; Simons v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd [2005] NSWSC 223 Hyland v Burbidge [2000] NSWSC 12 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Keep v Bourke [2012] NSWCA 64 Kembrey v Cuskelly [2008] NSWSC 262 Kleinig v Neal (No 2) (1981) 2 NSWLR 532 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Nowak v Beska [2013] NSWSC 166 O'Brien v McCormick [2005] NSWSC 619 O'Dea v O'Dea [2005] NSWSC 46 Oldereid v Chan [2013] NSWSC 434 Palaganio v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales [1962] HCA 19; (1962) 107 CLR 9 Puckridge, Deceased, In the Estate of (1978) 20 SASR 72 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Sayer v Sayer [1999] NSWCA 340 Scarlett v Scarlett [2012] VSC 515 Shaw v Shaw [2003] VSC 318; (2003) 11 VR 95 Singer v Berghouse [1994] HCA 40; (1994) 181 CLR 201 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan [2013] NSWSC 522 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Stiles v Joseph (NSWSC, 16 December 1996, unreported) Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Szypica v O'Beirne [2013] NSWSC 297 Tsivinsky v Tsivinsky [1991] NSWCA 269 Thompson v MacDonald [2013] VSC 150 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Troy Keith Nicholas (first Plaintiff) Rhonda Lee Hodges (second Plaintiff) Ronald William Nicholas (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr J Clifton (Plaintiffs) Mr L Ellison SC; Ms T Fishburn (Defendant) Solicitors: Dooley & Associates (Plaintiffs) Maclarens Lawyers (Defendant) File Number(s): 2012/103207