Nomchong v Vey-Cox [2019] NSWSC 1072

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Nomchong v Vey-Cox [2019] NSWSC 1072 Hearing dates: 7 August 2019 Decision date: 21 August 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: Held that the conditions in the will to pay rates and other outgoings and keep and maintain the property in good repair give rise to equitable personal obligations, and that non-compliance does not result in the gift lapsing; scope of other obligations determined; parties directed to bring in short minutes. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – wills and estates – construction and effect of testamentary disposition - gift of interest in property subject to conditions – non-fulfilment of conditions – no lapsing of gift – equitable obligations to perform – scope of repair and maintenance condition – purpose of fund created to defray costs associated with trusts Cases Cited: Brooks v Young (2018) 361 ALR 329; [2018] SASCFC 81 Coorey v Coorey (Supreme Court (NSW), Powell J, 22 February 1986, unrep) Estate of Lawrence; Hatzantonis v Lawrence [2003] NSWSC 914 Fell v Fell (1922) 31 CLR 268 Gill v Gill (1921) 21 SR (NSW) 400 Graham v Markets Hotel Pty Ltd (1942) 43 SR (NSW) 98 Hadfield v Hadfield [2010] NSWSC 561 Joliffe v Twyford (1858) SC 28 LJ Ch 93 Lapcevic v Collier [2002] NSWCA 300 Lazar v Williamson (1886) 7 LR (NSW) 98 Lurcott v Wakely & Wheeler (1911) 1 KB 905 McEvoy v McEvoy (No 2) [2013] NSWSC 1162 Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583 Perpetual Trustees WA Ltd as Executor of the Estate of Henry James Darvell v Darvell & Ors [2001] WASC 123 Perrin v Morgan [1943] AC 399 at 406: Peters v Taylor [2017] NSWSC 965 Re Hotchkys (1886) 32 Ch D 408 Re Sanford [1901] 1 Ch 939 Sidle v Queensland Trustees Ltd (1915) 20 CLR 557 Towns v Wentworth (1858) 14 ER 794 Trustees of the Christian Bros in Western Australia (Inc) v Attorney-General (WA) [2006] WASC 191 White v Arizon Pty Ltd [2003] NSWSC 1051 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Kylie Nomchong (Plaintiff) Delores Vey-Cox (First Defendant) John Vey-Cox (Second Defendant) The Trustee for the Anthony Carroll Discretionary Trust (Third Defendant) Sean Rorie (Fourth Defendant) Danielle Gibbs (Fifth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S Chapple (Plaintiff) B Adam (First Defendant)