Smith v Johnson [2015] NSWCA 297

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Smith v Johnson [2015] NSWCA 297 Hearing dates: 26 August 2015 Decision date: 30 September 2015 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; Ward JA at [2]; Sackville AJA at [6] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed 2. Set aside Orders 1 and 1A made by Kunc J on 9 December 2014. 3. In lieu of Orders 1 and 1A, order that the Plaintiff's summons be dismissed. 4. The respondent pay the appellant's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – family provision order – adult child (claimant) claims further provision from moderately substantial estate of his mother – claimant dependent on parents – two siblings relatively well off - interim distribution under will offset against costs owed by the claimant to the estate due to intra-family litigation – whether primary judge erred in finding that claimant's conduct in intra-family litigation did not preclude a family provision order – whether claimant's conduct was malicious or in bad faith - whether the claimant's financial needs included a provision for a two bedroom apartment – whether primary Judge's discretion miscarried Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 57, 59, 60; Ch 3, Pt 3.2 Cases Cited: Andrew v Andrew [2012] NSWCA 308; 81 NSWLR 656 Bates v Cook [2015] NSWCA 278 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Burke v Burke [2015] NSWCA 195 Chapple v Wilcox [2014] NSWCA 392; 87 NSWLR 646 Johnson by her tutor Karen Smith v Johnson [2009] NSWSC 503 Johnson v NSW Guardianship Tribunal [2009] NSWSC 664 Johnson v Smith [2010] NSWCA 306 Johnson v Smith [2010] NSWSC 125 Johnson v Smith [2011] HCASL 53 Johnson v Smith [2014] NSWSC 1682 Mulcahy v Weldon [2002] NSWCA 206 Re Will of Jane (No 2) [2011] NSWSC 883 Re Will of Jane [2011] NSWSC 624 Smith v Johnson [2008] NSWSC 923 Underwood v Gaudron [2015] NSWCA 269 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Karen Elisabeth Smith (First Appellant) David Charles Johnson (Second Appellant) Andrew Robert Stuart Johnson (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: L Ellison SC / Ms H Bennett (First and Second Appellants) CM Lawrence (Respondent)