Hamilton v Moir [2013] NSWSC 1200

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hamilton v Moir [2013] NSWSC 1200 Hearing dates: 7, 8 August 2013 Decision date: 02 September 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen J Decision: (i) Having found that the Plaintiff, Vera Caroline Hamilton, is an eligible person, that there are factors warranting the making of the application, that the proceedings were commenced within time, and that the provision made for her in the Will of the deceased is inadequate for her proper maintenance or advancement in life, she should receive, in addition to the amount which the Defendants have agreed to pay to her out of the estate of the deceased, a lump sum of $80,000. (ii) The provision made for the Plaintiff should be borne by the Defendants equally. (iii) No interest is to be paid on the lump sum, if it is paid within 28 days of the determination of the costs argument, or if there is no costs argument, of today. (iv) Unless either party wishes to argue the question of costs, the Plaintiff's costs, calculated on the ordinary basis, and the Defendants' costs calculated on the indemnity basis, shall be paid out of the estate of the deceased. (v) The Exhibits should be dealt with in accordance with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005. (vi) Consideration be reserved in respect of making consequential and ancillary orders for the purpose of giving effect to the family provision order. 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, as a foster child, was a member of the household of which the deceased was a member and dependent on the deceased - The Defendants are the executors to whom Probate granted - Nearly the whole estate left to the Defendants who are also biological children of the deceased - No dispute as to Plaintiff's eligibility but dispute whether there are factors warranting the making of the application - Whether to make a family provision order - If order for provision made, quantum of provision that should be made - Distributed estate but no dispute that provision should be borne by the Defendants Legislation Cited: Child Welfare Act 1939 Family Provision Act 1982 Property (Relationships) Act 1984Succession Act 2006Succession Amendment (Family Provision) Act 2008 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 Cases Cited: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176Allardice, In re; Allardice v Allardice (1909) 29 NZLR 959 Allen (Dec'd), In re; Allen v Manchester [1922] NZLR 218 Andrew v Andrew [2012] NSWCA 308; (2012) 81 NSWLR 656 Barlevy v Nadolski [2011] NSWSC 129 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Belfield v Belfield [2012] NSWSC 416 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Brown v Faggoter [1998] NSWCA 44 Carega Properties SA (formerly Joram Developments Ltd) v Sharratt [1979] 2 All ER 1084; [1979] 1 WLR 928 Carney v Jones [2012] NSWSC 352 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 Day v Couch [2000] NSWSC 230 de Angelis v de Angelis [2003] VSC 432 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 Fiorentini v O'Neil [1998] NSWCA 79 Flathaug v Weaver [2003] NZFLR 730 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Franks v Franks [2013] NSWCA 60 Frisoli v Kourea; Frisoli v Kourea [2013] NSWSC 1166 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) Grey v Harrison [1997] 2 VR 359 Harrisson v Skinner [2013] NSWSC 736 Hodgson, Re (1886) 31 Ch D 177 Hyland v Burbidge [2000] NSWSC 12 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Keep v Bourke [2012] NSWCA 64 Kembrey v Cuskelly [2008] NSWSC 262 Lumsden v Sumner [2012] NSWSC 1440 McCosker v McCosker [1957] HCA 82; (1957) 97 CLR 566 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Neale v Neale [2013] NSWSC 983 Oldereid v Chan [2013] NSWSC 434 Onassis v Vergottis [1968] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 403 Palaganio v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 Penfold v Perpetual Trustee [2002] NSWSC 648 Peters v Salmon [2013] NSWSC 953 Plunkett v Bull [1915] HCA 14; (1915) 19 CLR 544 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 Ross v Collins [1964] 1 All ER 861; [1964] 1 WLR 425 Russell v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2013] NSWSC 370 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Samsley v Barnes [1990] NSWCA 161; (1991) DFC 95-100 Sassoon v Rose [2013] NSWCA 220 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 Thornley v Heffernan (NSWSC, 12 September 1995, unreported) Tobin v Ezekiel [2012] NSWCA 285 Tsivinsky v Tsivinsky [1991] NSWCA 269 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (NSWSC, 17 May 1996, unreported) Warner v Hung, in the matter of Bellpac Pty Limited (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (In Liquidation) (No 2) [2011] FCA 1123 Weeks v Hrubala [2008] NSWSC 162 White and Tulloch v White (1995) 19 Fam LR 696 Wilcox v Wilcox [2012] NSWSC 1138 Texts Cited: J D Heydon and M J Leeming, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia (LexisNexis Butterworths, 7th ed, 2006) Government Gazette No. 38 of 20 February 2009, page 1036 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Vera Caroline Hamilton (Plaintiff) Graham James Moir (first Defendant) Paul Ashley Moir (second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr S A Benson (Plaintiff) Mr R D Wilson (Defendants) Solicitors: Turnbull Hill Lawyers (Plaintiff) Emil Ford Lawyers (Defendants) File Number(s): 2012/262155