Anderson v Anderson [2016] NSWSC 1204

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Anderson v Anderson [2016] NSWSC 1204 Hearing dates: 4, 5, 6 and 7 April 2016 Date of orders: 01 September 2016 Decision date: 01 September 2016 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The parties are to consider the form of orders, which should include an order that the further amended Statement of Claim and that the Cross-Claim be dismissed.

If agreement cannot be reached on how costs are to be paid, any argument regarding the costs of the proceedings is to be heard on a date to be arranged at the time of the publication of these reasons.

The Exhibits should be dealt with in accordance with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 following the determination of the costs of the proceedings. Catchwords: REAL PROPERTY – Torrens title – Unilateral severance of joint tenancy under s 97 Real Property Act 1900 – Claim of agreement not to sever

POWER OF ATTORNEY - Whether unilateral severance validly occurred - Deceased executed Power of Attorney in favour of second Defendant as substitute attorney - Whether specified attorney was "unwilling or unable to act" – Whether the second Defendant had power to execute a Statutory Declaration in support of registration of a Transfer by the deceased, unilaterally severing joint tenancy.

REAL PROPERTY - Indefeasibility - Whether s 42 Real Property Act 1900 operated so as create indefeasible title - Claim of statutory fraud.

SUCCESSION - In the alterative, if no valid severance, Cross-Claim by the first Defendant for a family provision order under Chapter 3 of the Succession Act 2006 out of the estate of the deceased – First Defendant was the wife of the deceased – If no valid severance, no actual estate, but potential notional estate of half the property which the deceased owned as a joint tenant –Unnecessary to decide. Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Matrimonial Causes Act 1959-1966 (Cth) Powers of Attorney Act 2003 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Real Property and Conveyancing Legislation Amendment Act 1999 (NSW) Succession Act 2006 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Adventure Quest Paintball-Skirmish Pty Limited [2016] NSWSC 188 Australian Guarantee Corporation Ltd v De Jager [1984] VicRp 40; [1984] VR 483 Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) [1988] HCA 16; (1988) 164 CLR 604 Bathurst Regional Council v Local Government Financial Services Pty Ltd (No 5) [2012] FCA 1200 BP Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd v Shire of Hastings (1977) 180 CLR 266 Cassegrain v Cassegrain [2015] HCA 2; 254 CLR 425 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Railway Authority (NSW) [1982] HCA 24; 149 CLR 337 Corin v Patton (1990) 169 CLR 540 Davis v Williams [2003] NSWCA 371 Day v Couch [2000] NSWSC 230 Dimitrovski v Australian Executor Trustees Limited [2014] NSWCA 68 Eyota Pty Ltd v Hanave Pty Ltd (1994) 12 ACSR 785 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd [2007] HCA 22; 230 CLR 89 Freed v Taffel [1984] 2 NSWLR 322 Goyal v Chandra [2006] NSWSC 239; (2006) 68 NSWLR 313 Grgic v Australian & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (1994) 33 NSWLR 202 Hughes v St Barbara Mines Ltd [No 4] [2010] WASC 160 Learn & Play (Rhodes No1) Pty Ltd as Trustee for Rhodes 1 Childcare Centre Unit Trust v Lombe [2011] NSWSC 1506 Leybourne v Permanent Custodians Ltd [2010] NSWCA 78 Lincolne v Williams [2008] TASSC 41; (2008) 18 Tas R 76 McCoy v Caelli [2010] NSWSC 1233 McCoy v Estate Peter Anthony Caelli [2008] NSWSC 986; 13 BPR 25,515 McNab v Earle [1981] 2 NSWLR 673 Macquarie Bank Ltd v Sixty-Fourth Throne Pty Ltd [1998] 3 VR 133 National Commercial Banking Corporation of Australia Ltd v Hedley (1984) 3 BPR 9477 Orr v Slender [2005] NSWSC 1175 Peldan v Anderson [2006] HCA 48; (2006) 227 CLR 471 Perpetual Trustees Victoria Limited v Belcastro (No 2) [2013] NSWSC 1189 Perpetual Trustees Victoria Limited v Menzies [2012] NSWSC 1066 Plunkett v Bull (1915) 19 CLR 544 Public Trustee v Grivas [1974] 2 NSWLR 316 Quest Rose Hill Pty Ltd v the Owners Corporation of Strata Plan 64025 [2012] NSWSC 1548 Re Hodgson (1885) 31 Ch D 177 Sang v Choy [2004] NSWSC 1121 Sansom v Westpac Banking Corporation (1996) 7 BPR 14615 Scott v Scott [2012] NSWSC 1541 Schultz v Corwill Properties Pty Ltd (1969) 90 WN (Pt. 1) (NSW) 529 Secured Income Real Estate (Aust) Pty Ltd v St Martins Investments Pty Ltd (1979) 144 CLR 596 Spina v Conran Associates Pty Limited; Spina v M&V Endurance Pty Limited [2008] NSWSC 326 Spina v Permanent Custodians Limited [2008] NSWSC 561 Stanford v Stanford [2012] HCA 52; 247 CLR 108 Stirling v Maitland & Boyd (1864) 22 ER 143 Thomas v The Times Book Co [1966] 2 All ER 241 Tobin v Broadbent [1947] HCA 46; (1947) 75 CLR 378 Vella v Permanent Mortgages Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 505; (2008) 13 BPR 25, 343 Waimiha Sawmilling Co Ltd v Waione Timber Co Ltd [1926] AC 101 Webb v Ryan [2012] VSC 377 Weeks v Hrubala [2008] NSWSC 162 Westpac Banking Corporation v Sansom (1994) 6 BPR 13790 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon [2003] HCA 48; (2003) 77 ALJR 1598 Williams v Davis [2003] NSWSC 453 Zahra v Francica [2009] NSWSC 1206 Zisti v Ryde Joinery Pty Ltd (1996) 7 BPR 15,217 Texts Cited: Professor Butt, Land Law (6th ed, 2010) Law Reform Commission, Community Law Reform for the Australian Capital Territory: Third Report, Enduring Powers of Attorney (AGPS, 1988) Natalie Skead and Penny Carruthers,"Fraud against the Registrar - An Unnecessary, Unhelpful and Perhaps, No Longer Relevant Complication in the Law on Fraud under the Torrens System" (2014) 40(3) Monash University Law Review 821 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Stephen Wayne Anderson (Plaintiff) Marilyn Anderson (first Defendant) Natalie Elizabeth Anderson (second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R Wilson SC and Mr D Steirn (Plaintiff) Mr V Russoniello (first Defendant) Mr J Simpkins (Estate of Norris Frank Anderson)