The Estate of Milan Zlatevski; Geroska v Zlatevski [2020] NSWSC 250

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: The Estate of Milan Zlatevski; Geroska v Zlatevski [2020] NSWSC 250 Hearing dates: 11 and 12 June 2019 Date of orders: 19 March 2020 Decision date: 19 March 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: (1) Probate of the will of Milan Zlatevski dated 15 October 2013 be granted to the plaintiff in solemn form. (2) The proceedings be referred to the Registrar to complete the grant of probate. (3) The cross claim filed by the defendant on 1 March 2017 be dismissed. (4) The defendant/cross-claimant pay the plaintiff's costs of the proceedings on an ordinary basis, in an amount to be agreed or accessed. Catchwords: SUCCESSION — contested probate — testamentary capacity — whether deceased's age and illness, and exclusion of his son from his will, raised doubt as to his testamentary capacity — whether deceased had the ability to understand the nature and value of his estate — whether deceased suffering from insane delusions that affected the provisions of the will — whether deceased was able to comprehend and appreciate the claims to which deceased ought to have given effect — whether alleged false misrepresentation vitiates will Legislation Cited: Uniform Civil Procedural Rules 2005 (NSW), r 42.1 Cases Cited: Banks v Goodfellow (1870) LR 5 QB 549 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Bull v Fulton (1942) 66 CLR 295; [1942] HCA 13 Carr v Homersham (2018) 97 NSWLR 328; [2018] NSWCA 65 Craig-Bridges v NSW Trustee and Guardian [2017] NSWCA 197 Gray v Taylor [2017] NSWSC 497 Hamilton v Nelson [2012] SASC 219 Harwood v Baker (1840) 3 Moo PC 282; 13 ER 117 Kerr v Badran [2004] NSWSC 735 King v Hudson [2009] NSWSC 1013 Masterton Homes Pty Ltd v Palm Assets Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 234 Newton v Taylor (Supreme Court (NSW), Powell J, 2 August 199, unrep) Re Cooks Estate (Supreme Court (NSW), Young J, 14 December 1994, unrep) Re Kelly [1929] SASR 262 Re the Estate of Griffith (dec'd); Easter v Griffith (1995) 217 ALR 284 Re the Estate of Hodges Deceased: Shorter v Hodges (1988) 14 NSWLR 698 Ryan v Dalton [2017] NSWSC 1007 The Estate of Stanislaw Budniak; NSW Trustee & Guardian v Budniak [2015] NSWSC 934 Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285 Trustee for the Salvation Army (NSW) Property Trust v Becker (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 136 Wechsler v Du Maurier [2002] NSWCA 13 West v Mead [2003] NSWSC 161 Worth v Clasohm (1952) 86 CLR 439; [1952] HCA 67 Zorbas v Sidiropoulous (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 197 Texts Cited: Leslie Handler and Richard Neal, Mason and Handler Succession Law and Practice (NSW) (LexisNexis Butterworths, looseleaf) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nada Geroska (Plaintiff) Tony Zlatevski (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S Chapple (Plaintiff) T Catanzariti (Defendant)