Harris v Carter [2020] NSWSC 196

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Harris v Carter [2020] NSWSC 196 Hearing dates: 12 December 2019 Date of orders: 12 December 2019 Decision date: 06 March 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Hallen J Decision: The Court:

(1) Orders that the Summons be dismissed.

(2) Orders the Plaintiff to pay the Defendants' costs up to 20 June 2019 calculated on the ordinary basis, and from 21 June 2019, to pay the Defendants' costs calculated on the indemnity basis. Catchwords: SUCCESSION – Family provision – Claim by minor child for provision from the deceased's estate under Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3 – The Defendants are the parents of the deceased and the executors to whom Probate was granted – Obligation or responsibility of a parent to a child – Relevance of "bare paternity" – Maintenance provision made in the deceased's Will for the Plaintiff – Other significant provision received by the Plaintiff as a result of deceased's membership of a superannuation fund and as a member of the Australian Defence Force – Whether provision made in the Will of the deceased is adequate and proper

COSTS – Indemnity costs – Offer of compromise –Where defendant obtains an order or judgment on the claim no less favourable than the terms of the offer – Where offer of compromise complies with UCPR – Whether Court should otherwise order – Whether Plaintiff's tutor should be held personally liable to pay costs Legislation Cited: Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW) Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (UK) c 63 Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW), s 181 Military Superannuation and Benefits Act 1991 (Cth) Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), s 86 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), ss 3, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 72, 79, 84, 99, Ch 3 Trustee Act 1925 (NSW), ss 43, 44 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 20.26, 36.17, 42.1, 42.13, 42.13A, 42.14, 42.15A, 42.20 Cases Cited: Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308 Ashton v Pratt (No 2) [2015] NSWCA 134 Bates v Cooke (2015) 14 ASTLR 221; [2015] NSWCA 278 Bates v Cooke (No 2) [2014] NSWSC 1322 Bkassini v Sarkis [2017] NSWSC 1487 Boettcher v Driscoll (2014) 119 SASR 523; [2014] SASC 86 Borebor v Keane (2013) 11 ASTLR 96; [2013] VSC 35 Bosch v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd [1938] AC 463 Bowditch v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2012] NSWSC 275 Bowyer v Wood (2007) 99 SASR 190; [2007] SASC 327 Burke v Burke (No 2) (2015) 13 ASTLR 313; [2015] NSWCA 195 Carey v Robson (No 2) [2009] NSWSC 1199 Chan v Chan (2016) 15 ASTLR 317; [2016] NSWCA 222 Chapple v Wilcox (2014) 87 NSWLR 646; [2014] NSWCA 392 de Angelis v de Angelis [2003] VSC 432 Devereaux-Warnes v Hall (No 3) (2007) 35 WAR 127; [2007] WASCA 235 Diver v Neal (2009) 2 ASTLR 89; [2009] NSWCA 54 Estate Hemmes; Cameron v Mead [2018] NSWSC 85 Farrell v Royal Kings Park Tennis Club (Inc) [2007] WASCA 173 Foley v Ellis [2008] NSWCA 288 Forsyth v Sinclair (No 2) (2010) 28 VR 635; [2010] VSCA 195 Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490; [1980] HCA 31 Goodsell v Wellington [2011] NSWSC 1232 Gorton v Parks (1989) 17 NSWLR 1 Hamod v State of New South Wales (2002) 188 ALR 659; [2002] FCAFC 97; [2002] FCA 424 Harkness v Harkness (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 35 Heyward v Fisher (Court of Appeal (NSW), Kirby P, 26 April 1985, unrep) Hunter v Hunter (1987) 8 NSWLR 573 Ilott v The Blue Cross [2018] AC 545; [2017] UKSC 17 Jodell v Woods [2017] NSWSC 143 Lado Causillas v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2015] NSWSC 1204 Leach v The Nominal Defendant (QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd) (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 391 Litchfield v Smith [2010] VSC 466 McKenzie v Topp [2004] VSC 90 Meres v Meres (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 523 New South Wales Insurance Ministerial Corporation v Reeve (1993) 42 NSWLR 100 Nicholls v Hall (2007) 2 ASTLR 419; [2007] NSWCA 356 Pontifical Society for the Propagation of the Faith v Scales (1962) 107 CLR 9; [1962] HCA 19 R (on the application of M) v Slough Borough Council [2008] 1 WLR 1808; [2008] UKHL 52 Re Sherborne Estate; Vanvalen v Neaves; Gilroy v Neaves (No 2) (2005) 65 NSWLR 268; [2005] NSWSC 1003 Rogic v Samaan (No 2) [2018] NSWSC 1573 Sam Wardy v Gordon Salier; William Wardy v Gordon Salier; Hassiba Wardy v Estate of late Edmond Wadih Wardy developer and Ch 3 of the Succession Act 2006 [2014] NSWSC 473 Savic v Kim [2010] NSWSC 1401 Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326 Singer v Berghouse (1993) 67 ALJR 708; [1993] HCA 35 Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40 Slack v Rogan; Palffy v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522 Steinmetz v Shannon (2019) 368 ALR 161; [2019] NSWCA 114 Stern v Sekers; Sekers v Sekers [2010] NSWSC 59 Stokes v McCourt (Costs) [2014] NSWSC 63 Stott v Cook (1960) 33 ALJR 447 Sung v Malaxos [2015] NSWSC 186 Verzar v Verzar [2012] NSWSC 1380 Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11 Walker v Walker (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 17 May 1996, unrep) White v Barron (1980) 144 CLR 431; [1980] HCA 14 Yakmor v Hamdoush (No 2) (2009) 76 NSWLR 148; [2009] NSWCA 284 Yee v Yee [2017] NSWCA 305 Texts Cited: G E Dal Pont, Law of Costs (3rd ed, 2013, LexisNexis) Rosalind Atherton, "The Concept of Moral Duty in the Law of Family Provision — A Gloss or Critical Understanding?" (1999) 5(1) Australian Journal of Legal History 5 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lachlan Daniel Harris by his tutor Susan Usherwood (Plaintiff) Robin Walter Carter (First Defendant) Joan Mary Carter (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr L J Ellison SC (Plaintiff) Mr C A Vindin (Defendants)