George Christopher Harris v Sophia Rothery (as co-executor of the Estate of the Late Christopher George Harris) [2013] NSWSC 1275

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: George Christopher Harris v Sophia Rothery (as co-executor of the Estate of the Late Christopher George Harris) [2013] NSWSC 1275 Hearing dates: 23 August 2013 Decision date: 05 September 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Kunc J Decision: Plaintiff never appointor or protector Catchwords: TRUSTS AND TRUSTEES - Principles of construction of trust deed and notices under deed - Whether father's appointment of adult son as appointor and protector effective TRUSTS AND TRUSTEES - Office of appointor and protector - Whether power to appoint successor fiduciary or personal EQUITY - General principles - Undue influence - Whether applicable to appointment to an office under a trust deed Legislation Cited: Corporations Law Corporations (New South Wales) Act 1990 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Cases Cited: Belfield v Belfield [2012] NSWCA 416; (2012) 16 BPR 31,177 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Shire of Hastings (1977) 180 CLR 266 Byrnes v Kendle [2011] HCA 26; (2011) 243 CLR 253 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v HGT Investments Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 55; (2005) 218 CLR 471 Ex parte Gilchrist; re Armstrong (1886) 17 QBD 521 Harvey v Phillips (1956) 95 CLR 235 Hudson v Gray (1927) 39 CLR 473 Kearns v Hill (1990) 21 NSWLR 107 Mannai Investment Co Ltd v Eagle Star Life Assurance Co Ltd [1997] AC 749 MLW Technology Pty Ltd v May [2005] VSCA 29 Nic Kritharas Holdings Pty Ltd (in liq) v Gatsios Holdings Pty Ltd [2001] NSWSC 343; (2001) 38 ACSR 57 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas [2004] HCA 35; (2004) 218 CLR 451 Richards v Cornford [2010] NSWCA 99; (2010) 76 NSWLR 572 Rowley v Rowley (1853-1854) Kay's Reports 242 In re Skeat's Settlement; Skeats v Evans (1889) 42 ChD 522 Symons v Williams (1875) 1 VLR(E) 199 Tjiong v Tjiong [2010] NSWSC 578 Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 52; (2004) 219 CLR 165 Yerkey v Jones (1939) 63 CLR 649 Texts Cited: D.W.M. Waters "The Protector: New Wine in Old Bottles?" in A.J. Oakley (General Editor), Trends in Contemporary Trust Law, OUP, 1996 Meagher Gummow & Lehane's Equity Doctrines & Remedies, 4th ed, Butterworths Lexis Nexis, 2002 Hanbury & Martin, Modern Equity, 18th ed, Sweet & Maxwell, 2009 G Thomas and A Hudson, The Law of Trusts, 2nd ed, OUP, 2010 Underhill and Hayton, Law Relating to Trusts and Trustees, 18th ed, Lexis Nexis, 2010 Category: Principal judgment Parties: George Christopher Harris (Plaintiff) Sophia Rothery (as co-executor of the Estate of the late Christopher George Harris (First Defendant) Athanasia Soula Harris (as co-executor of the Estate of the late Christopher George Harris (Second Defendant) Vicki Gesouras (as co-executor of the Estate of the late Christopher George Harris (Third Defendant) Nicholas Christopher Harris (as co-executor of the Estate of the late Christopher George Harris (Fourth Defendant) Christopher Harris Pty Limited (Fifth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: B.A.J. Coles QC and N.C.T. Bilinsky (Plaintiff) R.G. McHugh SC and V.E. Whittaker (Defendants) Solicitors: Teece Hodgson & Ward (Plaintiff) File Number(s): 2011/302482 Publication restriction: No