Edith White v Judith Liane Wills [2014] NSWSC 1160

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Edith White v Judith Liane Wills [2014] NSWSC 1160 Hearing dates: 15, 16, 17, 18, 30 July 2014 Decision date: 22 August 2014 Jurisdiction: Equity Division - Expedition List Before: Sackar J Decision: See paragraph [560] Catchwords: EQUITY - undue influence - where plaintiff executed a deed not to revoke her will - whether presumption of undue influence arises - whether presumption rebutted - whether improvident transaction - whether plaintiff received independent advice - whether unjust under Contracts Review Act - whether doctrine of suspicious circumstances applies Legislation Cited: Contracts Review Act 1980 Evidence Act 1995 Powers of Attorney Act 1998 (QLD) Succession Act 2006 Cases Cited: Albrighton v Royal Prince Alfred Hospital [1980] 2 NSWLR 542 Ali v Nationwide News Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 183 Allcard v Skinner (1887) 36 Ch D 145 Aslan Ahmed v Kopf Phyllis [1995] NSWCA 26 Baltic Shipping Co v Dillon (1991) 22 NSWLR 1 Barkley v Barkley Brown [2009] NSWSC 76 Bester v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1970] 3 NSWR 30 Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63 Bridgewater v Leahy (1998) 194 CLR 457 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Brown v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2011] NSWSC 1203 Courtney v Powell [2012] NSWSC 460 Cubillo v Commonwealth of Australia [2000] FCA 1084; (2000) 174 ALR 97 Delaforce v Simpson-Cook (2010) 78 NSWLR 483 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Gartside v Isherwood (1783) 28 ER 1297 Grace v Grace [2012] NSWSC 976 Hamilton v Carter [2011] NSWSC 394 Ho v Powell (2001) 51 NSWLR 572 Huguenin v Baseley (1807) 14 Ves Jun 273; 33 ER 526 Inche Noriah v Shaik Alle Bin Omar [1929] AC 127 Janson v Janson [2007] NSWSC 1344 Jenyns v Public Curator Qld (1953) 90 CLR 113 Johnson v Buttress (1936) 56 CLR 113 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v Moss [2007] NSWSC 969 Lym International Pty Ltd v Marcolongo [2011] NSWCA 303 Megic v Public Trustee for the Australian Capital Territory (1995) 59 FCR 165 National Westminster Bank Plc v Morgan [1985] 1 A C 686 Nemeth v Australian Litigation Funders Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 198 Nock v Austin (1918) 25 CLR 519 Palmer v Bank of NSW [1973] 2 NSWLR 244 Poosathurai v Kannappa Chettiar [1919] LR 47 I A Provident Capital Ltd v Papa [2013] NSWCA 36 Quek v Beggs (1990) 5 BPR 11,761 R v Navarolli [2010] 1 Qd R 27 Re Coomer [1911] 1 Ch 723 Smith v Clegg [2005] 1 Qd R 561 Spong v Spong (1914) 18 CLR 544 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Trustee for the Salvation Army (NSW) Property Trust and Anor v Becker and Anor [2007] NSWCA 136 Tulloch (deceased) v Braybon (No 2) [2010] NSWSC 650 Vernon v Watson; Estate Clarice Isabel Quigley dec'd [2002] NSWSC 600 Watkins v Combes (1922) 30 CLR 180 West v AGC (1986) 5 NSWLR 610 Westmelton (Vic) Pty Ltd v Archer [1982] VR 305 Whereat v Duff [1972] 2 NSWLR 147 Texts Cited: J D Heydon, Cross on Evidence, 9th edition Meagher Gummow and Lehane's Equity Doctrines and Remedies, 4th edition The Honourable Sir Frederick Jordan KCMG Chapters on Equity in New South Wales, 6th edition Young Crofts and Smith, On Equity Category: Principal judgment Parties: Edith White - plaintiff Judith Liane Wills - defendant Representation: Counsel: R Wilson SC, P Bolster - plaintiff M Henry SC, S Balafoutis - defendant Solicitors: Anthony Walker - plaintiff Kemp Strang - defendant File Number(s): 2013/382506