Hobbes v NSW Trustee & Guardian [2014] NSWSC 570

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Hobbes v NSW Trustee & Guardian [2014] NSWSC 570 Hearing dates: 20 August 2013 Decision date: 14 May 2014 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: White J Decision: Refer to para [66] of judgment. Catchwords: EQUITY - gifts - donatio mortis causa - whether deceased's actions constituted a valid donatio mortis causa - whether delivery of documents for a bank account and fixed term deposit to the plaintiff was of the means or part of the means of getting at the property, or, the essential indicia of title - whether land can be the subject of a gift mortis causa - whether delivery of house keys and council rate notice sufficient to effectuate gift mortis causa Legislation Cited: Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Cases Cited: Dufficy v Mollica [1968] 3 NSWR 751 Cosnahan v Grice (1862) 15 Moo PC 215; 15 ER 476 Public Trustee v Bussell (1993) 30 NSWLR 111 Harneiss v Public Trustee (1940) 40 SR(NSW) 414 Ward v Turner (1752) 2 Ves. Sen. 431; 28 ER 275 Duffield v Elwes (1827) 1 Bligh NS 497; 4 ER 959 Moore v Darton (1851) 4 De G & Sm 517; 64 ER 938 Cassidy v The Belfast Banking Co. (1887) 22 LR Ir 68 Re Dillon; Duffin v Duffin; Cartledge v Heals (1898) 24 VLR 576 Porter v Walsh (1895) 1 IR 284; (1896) 1 IR 148 Amis v Witt (1863) 33 Beav. 619; 55 ER 509 Witt v Amiss (1861) 1 B & S 109; 121 ER 655 Moore v Moore (1874) LR 18 Eq 474 Cormack v Permanent Trustee Co. of NSW Limited (1903) 4 SR (NSW) 17 Hudson v Spencer [1910] 2 Ch 285 Public Trustee v Young (1940) 40 SR (NSW) 233 In Re Weston; Bartholomew v Menzies [1902] 1 Ch 680 M'Gonnell v Murray (1869) IRR 3 Eq 460 Re Andrews [1902] 2 Ch 394 Delgoffe v Fader [1939] Ch 922; 3 All ER 682 Birch v Treasury Solicitor [1951] Ch 298; [1950] 2 All ER 1198 Tawill v Public Trustee of NSW, Estate of Birukoff [2009] NSWSC 256 Watts v Public Trustee (1949) 50 SR (NSW) 130 Bayliss v Public Trustee (1988) 12 NSWLR 540 Richards v Symes (1740) Barn Ch 90; 27 ER 567 Sen v Headley [1991] Ch 425; [1991] 2 All ER 636 Dillwyn & Llewellyn (1862) 4 De GF & J 517 Gissing v Gissing [1971] AC 886 Woodard v Woodard [1995] 3 All ER 980 Texts Cited: "Donationes Mortis Causa of Bank Credits" (1943) 17 ALJ 167 "Donatio Mortis Causa" (1993) 67 ALJ 553 Young, Croft and Smith on Equity (Lawbook Company 2009) R P Meagher, J D Heydon & M J Leeming, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity: Doctrines & Remedies, 2002, 4th ed LexisNexis Butterworths Category: Principal judgment Parties: Michelle Hobbes (Plaintiff) NSW Trustee & Guardian (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: M Gorrick (Plaintiff) M Lawson (Defendant) Solicitors: Rossana Court, Solicitor Ruth Pollard, Solicitor File Number(s): 2012/219634