Estate of Laura Angius; Angius v Angius [2013] NSWSC 1895

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Estate of Laura Angius; Angius v Angius [2013] NSWSC 1895 Decision date: 17 December 2013 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Hallen J Decision: The Court: (a) Declares that it is satisfied that the undated document purports to state the testamentary intentions of the deceased, and that it has not been executed in accordance with Part 2.1 of the Succession Act 2006. (b) Declares that it is satisfied that the undated document forms the deceased's Will and that the deceased intended it to form her Will. (c) Orders, subject to compliance with the rules of Court, that Letters of Administration with the undated document annexed, in solemn form, be granted to Gordon A Salier. (The Registrar may be satisfied to make the grant of the agreed copy until the Commissioner of Police releases the original.) (d) Orders that the matter be remitted to the Registrar to complete the grant. (e) Orders that the administration bond be dispensed with. (f) Orders that the balance of the further amended Statement of Claim and the Cross-Claim be dismissed. (g) Orders the argument about costs of the proceedings be stood over to a suitable date to the parties and the Court. Catchwords: WILLS, PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION - informal testamentary document - no dispute that undated document not executed in accordance with s 6 Succession Act 2006 - No dispute that the undated document purports to state the testamentary intentions of a deceased - Deceased familiar with the formal requirements for the making of a valid will - Whether Court satisfied that the deceased intended the undated document to form a Will - Consideration of circumstances in which the document was made - No dispute that if Court not satisfied should be grant of Letters of Administration with formal 2007 Will annexed to independent solicitor agreed to by the parties Legislation Cited: Births Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1995 Corporations Law 1989 Evidence Act 1995 Interpretation Act 1987 Probate and Administration Act 1898 Succession Act 2006 Supreme Court Rules Cases Cited: Application of Brown; Estate of Springfield (1991) 23 NSWLR 535 Application of Kencalo; Estate of Buharoff (NSWSC, 23 October 1991, unreported) Armagas Ltd v Mundogas S.A. (The "Ocean Frost") [1985] 1 Ll.R. 1 Belcastro v Belcastro [2004] WASC 111 Currell v Baldock; Estate of Currell [2012] NSWSC 705 Day v Couch [2000] NSWSC 230 Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359 Dolan v Dolan [2007] WASC 249 Estate of Gall (Deceased) [2008] SASC 349 Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 Estate of Kiepas (Dec'd); Twemlow v Kiepas [2004] NSWSC 452 Estate of Knibbs, deceased; Flay v Trueman [1962] 1 WLR 852 Estate of Margaret, Deceased [2012] NSWSC 1490 Estate of Masters (decd); Hill v Plummer (1994) 33 NSWLR 446 Estate of O'Dell [2010] NSWSC 678 Estate of Peter Geoffrey Brock [2007] VSC 415; (2007) 1 ASTLR 127 Estate of Puruto [2012] NSWSC 827 Estate of Silady (NSWSC, 21 November, 1994, unreported) Estate of Stewart, (NSWSC, 12 April 1996, unreported) Estate of Williams, deceased (1984) 36 SASR 423 Fast v Rockman [2013] VSC 18 Fry v Lukas; Brown v Fry; Estate of Honey; Application of Fry [2011] NSWSC 1329 Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 In the matter of Broad; Smith v Draeger [1901] 2 Ch 86 In the matter of Hodgson (1886) 31 Ch D 177; [1881-85] All ER Rep 931 In the matter of Levy [1953] VLR 652 In the matter of Munn [1943] SASR 304 In the matter of Nicholls [1996] 1 Qd R 179 In the Will of Lobarto Shields v Caratozzolo (1991) 6 WAR 1 In the Will of England (1900) 22 ALT 86 Jolley v Jarvis [1964] P 262 Kalamunda Meat Wholesalers Pty Ltd v Reg Russell & Sons Pty Ltd [1994] FCA 1059; (1994) 51 FCR 446 Kuhl v Liebcheschel [1933] SASR 394 Masters v Cameron [1954] HCA 72; [1954] 91 CLR 353 National Australia Trustees Ltd v Fazey [2011] NSWSC 559 Newman v Brinkgreve; Estate of Floris Verzijden [2013] NSWSC 371 NSW Trustee and Guardian v Halsey; Estate of Von Skala [2012] NSWSC 872 Oakes v Uzzell [1932] P 19 Onassis v Vergottis [1968] 2 Lloyd's Rep. 403 Palin v Ponting [1930] P 185 Plunkett v Bull [1915] HCA 14; (1915) 19 CLR 544 Public Trustee v Commins; Estate of Gwendolyn Myrtle Wray (NSWSC, 19 June 1992, unreported) R v Gittany (No 4) [2013] NSWSC 1737 Romano v Romano [2003] NSWSC 436 Snape v Gibson; Re Estate of Paul Francis Snape [2006] NSWSC 829 Tobin v Ezekiel [2012] NSWCA 285 Tsagouris v Belliars [2010] SASC 147 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Warner v Hung, in the matter of Bellpac Pty Limited (Receivers and Managers Appointed) (In Liquidation) (No 2) [2011] FCA 1123; (2011) 297 ALR 56 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Webb v Ryan [2012] VSC 377 Weeks v Hrubala [2008] NSWSC 162 Whyte v Pollok (1882) 7 AC 400 Wood v Smith [1993] Ch. 90 (C.A.) Yazbek v Yazbek [2012] NSWSC 594 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Robert Angius (Plaintiff) Gianna (Jenny) Angius (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Ms V Culkoff; Mr C Vindin Mr M Gorrick Solicitors: Comino Prassas Solicitors; Perez Varela Lawyers (Plaintiff) Patrick Hargraves & Co (Defendant) File Number(s): 2012/161134