Re Estate Pierobon, Deceased [2014] NSWSC 387

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Re Estate Pierobon, Deceased [2014] NSWSC 387 Hearing dates: 31 March 2014 Decision date: 03 April 2014 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Probate List Before: Lindsay J Decision: 1. Orders for dismissal of a motion for subpoenas to be set aside and claim of client-legal privilege. 2. Order for access to documents produced on subpoena. Catchwords: SUCCESSION - Wills probate and administration - Testamentary instruments - "suspicious circumstances rule" - Evidence - Application to set aside subpoenas - Legitimate forensic purpose - application dismissed

EVIDENCE - Facts excluded from proof - On grounds of privilege - Legal profession - Probate - Statements of witnesses to execution of will not privileged. "Rule in Re Fuld" - Claim to privilege dismissed Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 NSW, s 14 Evidence Act 1995 NSW; s 119; Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 NSW, r 1.9; Succession Act 2006, s 8 Cases Cited: Botany Bay Instrumentation & Control Pty Limited v Stewart [1984] 3 NSWLR 98 Clocchiatti v Chadwick [2012] NSWSC 1308 at [9]-[14] Esso Australia Resources Limited v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1999) 201 CLR 49 at 64-65 [35]) In Re Brock; Jones v Jones (1908) 24 TLR 839 at 840 In re Levy, deceased (No 2) [1957] VR 662 at 665 In re Webster [1974] 1 WLR 1641. In the Estate of Fuld, Deceased; Hartley v Fuld (Attorney-General intervening) [1965] P 405 at 409F-411B National Employers' Mutual General Association Limited v Waind and Hill [1978] 1 NSWLR 372 at 381-382 Oakes v Uzzell [1932]P 19 Re McMahon [1955] VLR 173 at 174 The Commissioner for Railways v Small (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 564 at 573-575 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757 at 770 [43]-774 [55] Tyrrell v Painton [1894] P151 at 157 (and 159) Texts Cited: GL Certoma, The Law of Succession in NSW (Thomson Reuters, Sydney, 4th ed, 2010) para [6.60], p. 95 Mason and Handler, Succession Law and Practice NSW (Lexis Nexis Butterworths), para [6085] RS Geddes, CJ Rowland and P Studdert, Wills, Probate and Administraiton Law in NSW (LBC, Sydney, 1996), para [40.65], p 295 Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Nicolina Clocchiatti (Plaintiff/Cross Defendant) Scalabrini Village Limited ACN 000 770 598 (Third Defendant/Cross Claimant) Representation: Counsel: D Allen (Plaintiff/Cross Defendant) B Burke (Third Defendant/Cross Claimant) Solicitors: Mitry Lawyers (Plaintiff/Cross Defendant) Hicksons (Third Defendant/Cross Claimant) File Number(s): 2012/00051116