Drivas v Jakopovic [2019] NSWCA 218

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Drivas v Jakopovic [2019] NSWCA 218 Hearing dates: 26 June 2019 Decision date: 05 September 2019 Before: Bell ACJ at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [2]; McCallum JA at [79] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – testamentary capacity – weight to be given to conclusory expert medical evidence on the legal issue of whether deceased had testamentary capacity – weight to be given to solicitor's evidence of practice concerning clients' execution of wills

EVIDENCE – weight to be given to solicitor's evidence of practice concerning clients' execution of wills – Connor v Blacktown District Hospital [1971] 1 NSWLR 713 and other authorities referred to Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140(2) Cases Cited: Amaca Pty Ltd v Ellis (2010) 240 CLR 111; [2010] HCA 5 Banks v Goodfellow [1870] LR 5 QB 549 BHP Billiton Ltd v Dunning [2015] NSWCA 55 Carr v Homersham (2018) 97 NSWLR 328; [2018] NSWCA 65 Connor v Blacktown District Hospital [1971] 1 NSWLR 713 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar (2011) 243 CLR 588; [2011] HCA 21 Hamilton v Nelson [2012] SASC 219 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705; [2001] NSWCA 305 Mekhail v Hana [2019] NSWCA 197 Re Crooks Estate (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 14 December 1994, unrep) Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Texts Cited: J W Heydon, Cross on Evidence (11th ed, 2017) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Anita Drivas (Appellant) Boris Jakopovic (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J J Loofs SC / J Brown (Appellant) C R C Newlinds SC / R Tregenza (Respondent)