Pulitano v Pulitano [2019] NSWSC 1688

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Pulitano v Pulitano [2019] NSWSC 1688 Hearing dates: 22, 23 and 24 May 2019. Last written submissions received 7 June 2019. Date of orders: 29 November 2019 Decision date: 29 November 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: (1) Pursuant to s 59 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), the plaintiff to receive a lump sum of $470,000 out of the estate of the late Rocco Pulitano (deceased). (2) Unless either party makes an application for a different costs order within 14 days, the plaintiff's costs of the proceedings, calculated on an ordinary basis, and the defendant's costs of the proceedings, calculated on an indemnity basis, be paid out of the estate of the deceased. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – family provision – claim by adult son – evidence of difficult relationship between plaintiff and deceased before estrangement – evidence that plaintiff subjected to physical abuse by the deceased during childhood – scope of the deceased's moral obligation to provide for the plaintiff – where plaintiff has significant financial need – where plaintiff has experienced periods of drug addiction and incarceration – where plaintiff had made past contributions to estate – causes of estrangement – no competing claims on the estate – where deceased had offered to help the plaintiff prior to estrangement Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 59, 60, 61, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 88, 100 Cases Cited: Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Burke v Burke [2015] NSWCA 195 Chan v Chan [2016] NSWCA 222 Chapple v Wilcox (2014) 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 Ford v Simes [2009] NSWCA 351 Gail Patricia Stone v Michael John Stone [2019] NSWSC 233 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Grant v Roberts; Smith v Smith; Roberts v Smith; Curtis v Smith [2019] NSWSC 843 Harris v Harris [2018] NSWSC 552 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Keep v Bourke [2012] NSWCA 64 Litchfield v Smith & Tingate [2010] VSC 466 Newman v Newman [2015] NSWSC 1207 Philpott v Pantos [2018] NSWSC 852 Poletti v Jones [2015] NSWCA 107 Re Filomena Rodi, deceased [2016] NSWSC 1696 Rogers v Rogers [2018] NSWSC 1982 Sammut v Kleemann [2012] NSWSC 1030 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 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 Underwood v Gaudron [2015] NSWCA 269 Whisprun Pty Ltd (formerly Northwest Exports Pty Ltd) v Dixon [2003] HCA 48 Williamson v Williamson [2011] NSWSC 228 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Anthony Pulitano (plaintiff) Nelia Bayon-On Pulitano (defendant) Representation: Counsel: J E F Brown w/ N Condylis (plaintiff) B Oliak (defendant)