Cooper v Cooper [2018] NSWSC 851

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Cooper v Cooper [2018] NSWSC 851 Hearing dates: 30 April 2018 Date of orders: 14 June 2018 Decision date: 14 June 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The Court:

(a) Having found that the Plaintiff is an eligible person; that the proceedings were commenced within time; and that the provision made for her in the Will of the deceased is inadequate for her proper maintenance or advancement in life, orders that she receive, in addition to the legacy of $50,000 made for her in the Will of the deceased, a lump sum of $175,000.

(b) Orders that provided the lump sum, and the legacy to which she is entitled under the Will, is paid within 2 months of the making of these orders, no interest is payable on either the legacy or the lump sum; otherwise, interest at the rate prescribed under s 84A(3) of the Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW) is payable on each of the legacy and the lump sum, calculated from that date until the date of payment in full.

(c) Orders that the Plaintiff's costs, calculated on the ordinary basis, and the Defendant's costs, calculated on the indemnity basis, be paid out of the estate of the deceased.

(d) Grants liberty to any party to apply, in these proceedings, for consequential and ancillary orders for the purpose of, or with respect to, giving effect to, and implementing, the family provision order made in favour of the Plaintiff, including, but not limited to, an order for the sale of the Sans Souci property.

(e) Orders that the Exhibits should be dealt with in accordance with the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) (rule 31.16A and rule 33.10) and Practice Note No SC Gen 18. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – FAMILY PROVISION – The Plaintiff, an adult child of the deceased, makes a claim for a family provision order – No dispute as to the Plaintiff's eligibility as a child of the deceased – The Defendant is also an adult child of the deceased and the sole executor and principal beneficiary named in the Will –– Reasonably large estate in value principally comprising real property – Legacy of $50,000 made for Plaintiff – Whether family provision order should be made, and if so, the nature and quantum of the provision to be made – Order for provision made 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: Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Boettcher v Driscoll (2014) 119 SASR 523; [2014] SASC 86 Bondelmonte v Blanckensee [1989] WAR 305 Borebor v Keane [2013] VSC 35 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Bowyer v Wood (2007) 99 SASR 190; [2007] SASC 327 Burke v Burke [2015] NSWCA 195 Butcher v Craig [2009] WASC 164 Chan v Chan [2016] NSWCA 222 Chapple v Wilcox (2014) 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 Christie v Manera [2006] WASC 287 Crossman v Riedel [2004] ACTSC 127 de Angelis v de Angelis [2003] VSC 432 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) (2007) 35 WAR 127; [2007] WASCA 235 Diver v Neal [2009] NSWCA 54 Flathaug v Weaver [2003] NZFLR 730 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Gardiner v Gardiner (Supreme Court (NSW), 28 May 1998, unrep) Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490; [1980] HCA 31 Goodsell v Wellington [2011] NSWSC 1232 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Grey v Harrison [1997] 2 VR 359 Hawkins v Prestage (1989) 1 WAR 37 Heyward v Fisher (Court of Appeal (NSW), Kirby J, 26 April 1985, unrep) Hughes v National Trustees, Executors and Agency Co of Australasia Ltd (1979) 143 CLR 134 Hunter v Hunter (1987) 8 NSWLR 573 Kay v Archbold [2008] NSWSC 254 Kohari v Snow [2013] NSWSC 452 MacGregor v MacGregor [2003] WASC 169 Manuel v Lane [2013] NSWCA 61 Marks v Marks [2003] WASCA 297 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566; [1957] HCA 82 McCosker v McCosker; Kleinig v Neal (No 2) [1981] 2 NSWLR 532 McGrath v Eves [2005] NSWSC 1006 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 Palagiano v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 Parker v The Public Trustee (Supreme Court (NSW), 31 May 1988, unrep) Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9; [1962] HCA 19 R (on the application of M) v Slough Borough Council [2008] 1 WLR 1808; [2008] UKHL 52 Salmon v Osmond [2015] NSWCA 42 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Smith v Johnson (2015) 14 ASTLR 175; [2015] NSWCA 297 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Sung v Malaxos [2015] NSWSC 186 Szypica v O'Beirne [2013] NSWSC 297 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Thom v The Public Trustee (Master McLaughlin 2 April, 1992, unrep) Thom v The Public Trustee (Supreme Court (NSW), McLaughlin M, 2 April 1992, unrep) Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 75; [2012] NSWCA 285 Underwood v Gaudron [2015] NSWCA 269 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Walker v Walker (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 17 May 1996, unrep) White v Barron (1980) 144 CLR 431; [1980] HCA 14 Whitmont v Lloyd (Supreme Court (NSW), Bryson J, 31 July 1995, unrep) Williamson v Williamson [2011] NSWSC 228 Yee v Yee [2017] NSWCA 305 Texts Cited: R Atherton, "The Concept of Moral Duty in the Law of Family Provision – a Gloss or Critical Understanding?" (1999) 5(1) Aust J Leg Hist 5 Category: Principal judgment Parties: K'Lee Cooper (Plaintiff) Rick Anthony Cooper (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M B Evans (Plaintiff) Mr P O'Loughlin (Defendant)