Piercy v Douras [2019] NSWSC 1013

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Piercy v Douras [2019] NSWSC 1013 Hearing dates: 15 - 17 April 2019 Date of orders: 09 August 2019 Decision date: 09 August 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity - Family Provision List Before: Henry J Decision: (1) Dismiss the plaintiff's claim for provision out of the deceased's estate. (2) Make no order as to costs with the intent that the plaintiff is to pay his own costs of the proceedings and the defendant's costs are paid out of the estate on an indemnity basis. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – family provision – claim by adult son – son excluded from will – estrangement from the deceased – estate left entirely to widow who was second wife – where value of the estate has diminished significantly since the deceased's death – where widow has low prospects of future employment – no provision made Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Family Law Act 1975 (Cth), s 90 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 59, 60, 100 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 42.1, 42.20 Cases Cited: Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Carusi-Lees v Carusi [2017] NSWSC 590 Chan v Chan [2006] NSWCA 222 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Ford v Simes [2009] NSWCA 351 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hastings v Hastings [2010] NSWCA 197 Kleinig v Neal (No 2) (1981) 2 NSWLR 532 MacGregor v MacGregor [2003] WASC 169 Marks v Marks [2003] WASCA 297 McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566 McDonald v O'Connor [2019] NSWSC 261 Oldereid v Chan [2013] NSWSC 434 Parke v Parke [2015] FCCA 1692 Philpott v Pantos [2018] NSWSC 852 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of Faith v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Sherborne Estate (No 2): Vanvalen & Anor v Neaves & Anor; Gilroy v Neaves & Anor (2005) 65 NSWLR 268; [2005] NSWSC 1003 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Slack-Smith v Slack-Smith [2010] NSWSC 625 Steinmetz v Shannon [2019] NSWCA 114 Taylor v Farrugia [2009] NSWSC 801 Underwood v Gaudron [2015] NSWCA 269 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Worsley v Solomon [2008] NSWSC 444 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Joshua Piercy (Plaintiff) Adrienne Douras (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: E Windsor (Plaintiff) L Ellison SC (Defendant)