Philpott v Pantos [2018] NSWSC 852

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Philpott v Pantos [2018] NSWSC 852 Hearing dates: 15 May 2018 Date of orders: 15 May 2018 Decision date: 14 June 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: Orders that the Summons be dismissed.

Orders that the Plaintiff pay the Defendants' costs, calculated on the indemnity basis, from 28 February 2018, and their costs calculated on the ordinary basis prior to that date.

Orders that the exhibits be returned. 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 – First and second Defendants are also adult children of the deceased and the executors and principal beneficiaries named in the Will –– Small estate in value – No provision made for Plaintiff in the deceased's Will – Whether family provision order should be made, and if so, the nature and quantum of the provision to be made – No order for provision made

Deceased's estate reduced partly because of severance of joint tenancy in which the Plaintiff is said to have played a part –– As a result, provision of the one half interest in that property received by Plaintiff from her father's estate – Relevance of benefit received out of the father's estate

COSTS – Offer of Compromise served about 2.5 months prior to the hearing – Defendants obtained order no less favourable than offer made – Whether Court's discretion should be exercised to depart from UCPR – Overall justice of the case does not warrant exercise of the Court's discretion Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Succession Act 2006 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: AB v Curry & Anor (No 2) [2015] NSWSC 1209 Alexander v Jansson [2010] NSWCA 176 Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Bartlett v Coomber [2008] NSWCA 100 Bates v Cooke (2015) 14 ASTLR 221; [2015] NSWCA 278 Bates v Cooke (No 2) [2014] NSWSC 1322 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 Briggs v Mantz (No 2) [2014] VSC 487 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 Dobb v Hacket (1993) 10 WAR 532 Flathaug v Weaver [2003] NZFLR 730 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Gardiner v Gardiner (Supreme Court (NSW), Santow J, 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; [1979] HCA 2 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 Meres v Meres (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 523 Morier v Liem [2016] NSWSC 582 Palagiano v Mankarios [2011] NSWSC 61 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 Smith v Whittaker [2016] VSC 287 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 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 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: Nicoletta Philpott (Plaintiff) Constantine Pantos (first Defendant) Maria Harley (second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr C P Locke (Plaintiff) Mr N Bilinsky (Defendants)