Viljoen v Hayes [2017] NSWSC 801

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Viljoen v Hayes [2017] NSWSC 801 Hearing dates: 2 June 2017 Date of orders: 21 June 2017 Decision date: 21 June 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Parker J Decision: Summons dismissed Catchwords: Civil Procedure – request for information from estate – Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 54.3(3) – inherent jurisdiction – executor de son tort – applicant's interest in estate adeemed – proper administration of trust or estate – Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 5.3(1) – discovery in advance of family provision claim – statutory eligibility to make claim – strength of putative claim – relevance of documents potentially demonstrating existence of notional estate or claims available to estate – no evidence of applicant's financial circumstances – "may be entitled to make a claim for relief" Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 57-60, 80 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 5.3(1), 54.3(3) Cases Cited: Gonzales v Claridades (2003) 58 NSWLR 211; [2003] NSWCA 227 Hartigan Nominees Pty Ltd v Rydge (1992) 29 NSWLR 405 Hatfield v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd (2010) 77 NSWLR 506; [2010] NSWCA 69 Hooper v Kirella Pty Ltd (1999) 96 FCR 1; [1999] FCA 1584 Morton v Nylex Ltd [2007] NSWSC 562 Panasonic Australia Pty Ltd v Ngage Pty Ltd (2006) 69 IPR 595; [2006] NSWSC 399 St George Bank Ltd v Rabo Australia Ltd (2004) 211 ALR 147; [2004] FCA 1360 Texts Cited: RP Austin, 'Constructive Trusts' in PD Finn, Essays in Equity (1985, Law Book Company) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Marilyn Viljoen (Plaintiff) Gregory Hayes (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: MJ Heath (Plaintiff) T Catanzariti (Defendant)