Stojic v Stojic [2018] NSWCA 28

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Stojic v Stojic [2018] NSWCA 28 Hearing dates: 26 September 2017 Decision date: 28 February 2018 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Payne JA at [2]; White JA at [3] Decision: 1. Appeal allowed. 2. Order that orders 1-6 made on 3 March 2017 be set aside. 3. Order that the proceedings be remitted to the Equity Division for a new trial in relation to the validity of the alleged will of the deceased of 23 May 2014, but not including the issue whether the deceased had testamentary capacity to make the alleged will of 23 May 2014. 4. Order that the respondent pay the appellants' costs of the appeal. 5. Grant to the respondent a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW). 6. Order that the costs of the proceedings before Lindsay J await the outcome of the new trial and be within the discretion of the judge conducting that trial. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – wills, probate and administration – probate and letters of administration – validity of will – whether the deceased knew and approved the contents of the will – where suspicious circumstances exist - where testator has read the will – where findings of fact insufficient to determine testator's knowledge and approval of the will - more findings necessary to resolve disputed questions of fact – new trial ordered Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW) Ch 3 Suitors' Fund Act 1951 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rule 2005 (NSW) r 51.53 Cases Cited: Atter v Atkinson (1865-69) LR 1 P & D 665 Baker v Batt (1838) 2 Moore 317; 12 ER 1026 Barry v Butlin (1838) 2 Moore 480 Burns v Burns [2016] EWCA Civ 37 Church v Mason [2013] NSWCA 481; (2013) 12 ASTLR 190 Estate of George Aeneas McDonald; Howard v The Sydney Children's Hospital Network (Randwick & Westmead) [2015] NSWSC 1610 Fuller v Strum [2002] 2 All ER 87 Fulton v Andrew (1875) 7 LR HL 448 Gill v Woodall [2011] Ch 380; [2010] EWCA Civ 1430 Hobhouse v Macarthur-Onslow [2016] NSWSC 1831 Hoff v Atherton [2004] EWCA Civ 1554 In Re Morris, Decd [1971] P 62 In the Estate of Osment [1914] P 129 Nock v Austin (1918) 25 CLR 519 Public Trustee v McKeon (1917) 17 SR (NSW) 157 Re Estate Stojic (dec'd) [2017] NSWSC 168 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Trustee for the Salvation Army (NSW) Property Trust & Anor v Becker [2007] NSWCA 136 Veall v Veall (2015) 46 VR 123; [2015] VSCA 60 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ivanna Ann-Marie Stojic (1st Appellant) Ivan Matthew Stojic (2nd Appellant) Simon Stojic (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D Smallbone with D W Rayment (Appellant) R Wilson SC with C Birtles (Respondent)