Abu-Arab v NSW Trustee & Guardian [2014] NSWSC 954

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Abu-Arab v NSW Trustee & Guardian [2014] NSWSC 954 Hearing dates: 18 July 2014 Decision date: 25 July 2014 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Davies J Decision: The parties should bring in Short Minutes. Catchwords: PROCEDURE - parties - identity of proper defendant - claim for debt owing by deceased person - deceased dies intestate - estate insolvent - next of kin do not apply for Letters of Administration - creditor commences proceedings against NSW Trustee and Guardian claiming debt - whether Trustee is the proper defendant. SUCCESSION - whether the Trustee has the obligation or duty to apply for Letters of Administration - whether the Trustee has any obligations by virtue of s 61 Probate and Administration Act - whether the Trustee is proper defendant in a claim in personam where there is no representation in the estate. Legislation Cited: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) NSW Trustee and Guardian Act 2009 (NSW) Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) Supreme Court Rules 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Anderson v Bowles (1951) 84 CLR 310 Andrews v Hogan (1952) 86 CLR 223 Atsas v Gertsch [1998] NSWSC 522 Bone v Commissioner of Stamp Duties (1974) 132 CLR 38 Byers v Overton Investments Pty Ltd [2000] FCA 1761 Byers v Overton [2001] FCA 760; (2001) 109 FCR 554 Electronic Industries Imports Pty Ltd v Public Curator of Queensland [1960] VR 10 Ex parte Newlands Brothers Pty Ltd; Re Kenniff (1956) 56 SR (NSW) 35 Foy v Public Trustee (1942) 42 SR 209 GEL Custodians Pty Ltd v The Estate of the late Geoffrey Francis Wells [2013] NSWSC 973 Holloway v The Public Trustee (1959) 59 SR (NSW) 308 Harrowby v Snelson [1951] 1 All ER 140 Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd v The Public Trustee (1956) 73 WN (NSW) 546 Ex parte Public Trustee; Re Birch (1951) 51 SR (NSW) 345 Scallan v Scallan [2001] NSWSC 1129 Smith v Mather (1948) 2 KB 212 Category: Interlocutory applications Parties: Mahmoud Abu Arab (Plaintiff) NSW Trustee & Guardian (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: P Bates (Plaintiff) M K Meek SC (Defendant) Solicitors: Michael Aboud & Co. Solicitors and Barristers (Plaintiff) Crown Solicitors Office (Defendant) File Number(s): 2013/212352