Elizabeth Ann Bremner v Jennifer Lee Graham [2016] NSWSC 633

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Elizabeth Ann Bremner v Jennifer Lee Graham [2016] NSWSC 633 Hearing dates: 19 April 2016 Date of orders: 17 May 2016 Decision date: 17 May 2016 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The orders of the Court are that: (i) Having found that the Plaintiff, Elizabeth Ann Bremner, is an eligible person; that there are factors which warrant the making of her application; and that the provision made for her in the Will of the deceased is inadequate for her proper maintenance or advancement in life, she is to receive a lump sum of $38,000 out of the estate of the deceased. (ii) No interest is to be paid on the lump sum payable to the Plaintiff, if that lump sum is paid within 28 days of the making of these orders; otherwise, interest calculated at the rate prescribed by s 84A(3) of the Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), on unpaid legacies, is to be paid from that date until the date of payment. (iii) Orders that the costs of the Plaintiff, calculated on the ordinary basis and the costs of the Defendant, calculated on the indemnity basis, be paid out of the estate of the deceased. (iv) Orders that the Exhibit should be dealt with in accordance with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW). Catchwords: SUCCESSION – FAMILY PROVISION – The Plaintiff, the mother of the deceased, applies for a family provision order under Part 3.2 of the Succession Act 2006 (NSW) – The Defendant, the executor of the Will of the deceased, to whom Probate was granted and sole beneficiary named in the Will of the deceased – Dispute that Plaintiff is an eligible person – Whole or partial dependency in issue – Also, if Plaintiff eligible, whether there are factors which warrant the making of her application – Whether adequate and proper provision not made in Will of the deceased for the Plaintiff – Nature and quantum of provision to be made for the Plaintiff. Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) Succession Act 2006 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Aafjes v Kearney [1976] HCA 5; (1976) 180 CLR 199 Alexander v Jansson [2009] NSWSC 1000 Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Amaca Pty Ltd v Novek [2009] NSWCA 50 Andrew v Andrew [2012] NSWCA 308; (2012) 81 NSWLR 656 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Boettcher v Driscoll [2014] SASC 86; (2014) 119 SASR 523 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Burke v Burke [2015] NSWCA 195 Chapple v Wilcox [2014] NSWCA 392; (2014) NSWLR 646 Chu v Ngar [2015] NSWSC 1505 Churton v Christian (1988) 13 NSWLR 241 Collicoat v McMillan [1999] 3 VR 803 Collins v McGain [2003] NSWCA 190 de Angelis v de Angelis [2003] VSC 432 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) [2007] WASCA 235; (2007) 35 WAR 127 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54; (2009) 2 ASTLR 89 Doshen v Pedisich [2013] NSWSC 1507 Edgar v Public Trustee for the Northern Territory [2011] NTSC 5 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Gardiner v Gardiner (Supreme Court (NSW), Santow J, 28 May 1998, unrep) Goodman v Windeyer [1980] HCA 31; (1980) 144 CLR 490 Goodsell v Wellington [2011] NSWSC 1232 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Grey v Harrison [1997] 2 VR 359 Henry v Hancock [2016] NSWSC 71 Hunter v Hunter (1987) 8 NSWLR 573 Hyland v Burbidge [2000] NSWSC 12 In the Estate of Puckridge, Deceased (1978) 20 SASR 72 Justyn Marcus Ng v Neville Mark Morgan; Selena Natanie Ng v Morgan; Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Neville Mark Morgan in his capacity as Administrator of the estate of the late Dell Smith [2014] NSWSC 536 Kauri Timber Co (Tas) Pty Ltd v Reeman [1973] HCA 8; (1973) 128 CLR 177 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Keep v Bourke [2012] NSWCA 64 Kembrey v Cuskelly [2008] NSWSC 262 McCosker v McCosker [1957] HCA 82; (1957) 97 CLR 566 McKenzie v Baddeley [1991] NSWCA 197 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 Mayfield v Lloyd-Williams [2004] NSWSC 419 Palagiano v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 Petrohilos v Hunter (1991) 25 NSWLR 343 Phillips v James [2014] NSWCA 4 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales [1962] HCA 19; (1962) 107 CLR 9 R (on the application of M) v Slough Borough Council [2008] UKHL 52; [2008] 1 WLR 1808 Re Dennis (Deceased) [1981] 2 All ER 140 Re Fulop, Deceased (1987) 8 NSWLR 679 Sam Wardy v Gordon Salier; William Wardy v Gordon Salier; Hassiba Wardy v Estate of late Edmond Wadih Wardy, developer and Ch 3 of the Succession Act 2006 [2014] NSWSC 473 Sassoon v Rose [2013] NSWCA 220 Singer v Berghouse [1994] HCA 40; (1994) 181 CLR 201 Skinner v Frappell [2008] NSWCA 296 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan [2013] NSWSC 522 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Szypica v O'Beirne [2013] NSWSC 297 Tobin v Ezekiel [2012] NSWCA 285; (2012) 83 NSWLR 757 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin [2005] HCA 11; (2005) 221 CLR 191 Walker v Walker (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 17 May 1996, unrep) West v Mann [2013] NSWSC 1852 Wilcox v Wilcox [2012] NSWSC 1138 Williams v Aucutt [2000] 2 NZLR 479 Yee v Yee [2016] NSWSC 360 Texts Cited: J D Heydon and M J Leeming, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia (7th ed 2006, LexisNexis Butterworths) Rosalind Atherton, "The Concept of Moral Duty in the Law of Family Provision – a Gloss or Critical Understanding?" (1999) 5 Australian Journal of Legal History Category: Principal judgment Parties: Elizabeth Ann Bremner (Plaintiff) Jennifer Lee Graham (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr B Burke (Plaintiff) Mr A Hill (Defendant)