Estate of the late Shirley Joan Violet Gardner; Bernengo v Leaney (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 1832

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Estate of the late Shirley Joan Violet Gardner; Bernengo v Leaney (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 1832 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 20 December 2019 Decision date: 20 December 2019 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Bell P Decision: 1. Order that the plaintiff's costs be payable out of the Estate on an indemnity basis.

2. Order that the defendant's costs be payable out of the Estate on the ordinary basis up until 21 June 2019, with the defendant to bear his own costs thereafter. Catchwords: COSTS – intestate estate – plaintiff found to be de facto partner of the deceased – when multiple offers to settle proceedings made – application for payment of costs on indemnity basis from date of offer – Calderbank letter – relevant principles

SUCCESSION COSTS – intestate estate Legislation Cited: Succession Act 2006 (NSW) ss 59, 111 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 20.26, 42.1, 42.14 Cases Cited: Caine v Lumley General Insurance Ltd (No 2) [2008] NSWCA 109 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Estate of the late Shirley Joan Violet Gardner; Bernengo v Leaney [2019] NSWSC 1324 Estate Pamplin; Irwin v Pamplin [2017] NSWSC 1477 Gray v Hart; Estate of Harris (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 1562 In the matter of Hillsea Pty Limited [2019] NSWSC 1309 Morgan v Johnson (1998) 44 NSWLR 578 NSW Trustee and Guardian v McGrath [2013] NSWSC 1894 Re Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698 Salmon v Osmond [2015] NSWCA 42 Vaughan v Hoskovich [2010] NSWSC 706 Category: Costs Parties: Juan Jose Bernengo (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) Edward Henry Thomas Leaney (Defendant/Cross-Claimant) Representation: Counsel: R Kako (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant) T J Hancock (Defendant/Cross-Claimant)