Michele Davis

Thank you for making me a Finalist

Last Friday afternoon, I received a very surprising and humbling email that informed me that I was a Finalist in the Queensland Law Society Awards for Proctor – Best Feature Article Award for 2020 for my piece called “New Principles for Decision Makers: Bill addresses conflict transactions and more” which appeared in May 2019. The…

Fractured Relationship: abuse and estrangement in FPA, provision ordered (NSW)

In the first post of this year, it seems fitting to write on the topic of disentitling conduct and estrangement, given my research interests in this space. Sadly, late last year saw the NSW Supreme Court determine a family provision application by a son against his father’s estate in what was clearly a very difficult…

Seeing is believing?: Will not seen by, or read to, deceased, upheld (VIC)

This week has found me reading lots of different and interesting cases and I can barely keep up! However, I was really interested to read this case and, whilst I appreciate my amazing subscribers are being bombarded with emails, I just had to post about it. Last week, the Victorian Court of Appeal was called…

Decision Impossible: FPA by disabled son against widow, forcing sale of family home in notional estate (NSW)

Recently, the NSW Supreme Court determined a very difficult family provision application by an adult son, in circumstances where the adult son was otherwise healthy when the deceased passed away, but subsequently suffered significant health issues following his father’s death. Further, the only available assets for such a family provision claim were via notional estate….

Family Affair: trust and property transfers set aside on bad faith and unconscionability (QLD)

The recent case of Campbell & Anor v T.L. Clacher No. 2 Pty LTd & Ors [2019] QSC 218 dealt with a application by two daughters as against the trustee of their family trust, the trustee of their sisters family trust and their father in respect of transactions that occurred between the parties following very…

Screen Test: Court of Appeal prefers lawyer’s evidence over medical on testamentary capacity (NSW)

Capacity is quite the minefield. Any practitioner that works within this field, may very well agree with me. I would even hazard a guess and go as far as to say that perhaps even medical practitioners may also share the same view. Recently, in the case of Drivas v Jakopovic [2019] NSWCA 218, the New…

Duty Bound: solicitor’s duty to beneficiary of incapable testator after inter vivos transfer

It was in the context of preparing for the delivery of my recent presentation for The Tax Institute’s Death…and Taxes Symposium on the Gold Coast recently that I come to read a recent case of solicitor negligence in the context of estate planning. In the appeal decision of McFee v Reilly [2018] NSWCA 322, a…

Danger Zone: costs against plaintiff in FPA in small estate (NSW)

Family provision claims in small estates is an inherit danger zone for claimants and lawyers. The recent case of Wengdal v Rawnsley [2019] NSWSC 926 has demonstrated this again where Justice Hallen has ordered that the plaintiff’s claim be dismissed and the plaintiff pay the defendant’s costs on the ordinary basis. In this case, the deceased…

New legislative changes for Attorneys and Administrators

While no person expects, nor wishes, to experience a lack of capacity, the very real fact of life is that they may. Incapacity can be long term or short term and can impact everyone quite differently. The question of someone’s capacity to understand the nature and the effect of something is fraught with difficulty mainly…

Optional Extra: Court held exercise of Option to Purchase not done properly

Will making is sometimes pretty complex work. The plan will always be unique to a person’s wishes and the personal circumstances. Every so often, I receive instructions from clients to include an ‘option’ for one of their family or friends to purchase their property. Usually, this is because they’re trying to balance at least two…

Decisions, Decisions: ‘bad faith’ SMSF Trustee discretion decision set aside, Trustee removed

There is certainly no question that superannuation is a complex beast. Add to that the self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) variety and it will keep you busy, with it’s complex twists and turns, for days. I read a case recently that is no different. A shout-out to a fellow nerd, Clifford Hughes, for bringing this case…

Catch and Release: Court considers when s33Z applies to a ‘purported’ Will (Qld)

Recently, the case of Saltmer v Rennick Lawyers Pty Ltd [2018] QSC 307 was heard in the Supreme Court of Queensland in Townsville where the Court was called upon to question of costs in a situation where a deceased person’s family member requested a copy of a document held by a Solicitor that the family…

Renewable Power: Court permits Attorney to renew superannuation nomination (QLD)

For a while now, it’s been a hazy question asked by succession lawyers alike about whether an attorney can make or renew a binding death benefit nomination for their principal’s superannuation policy proceeds. On 24 August 2018, Justice Bowskill of the Supreme Court of Queensland delivered a decision on this very topic. The case of…

Missing element: High Court orders new trial in solemn form probate proceedings; denial of procedural fairness

It appears to be raining estate and trust law cases from the High Court of Australia over the last two weeks. Yesterday, the High Court of Australia ordered a new trial be held in relation to solemn form probate proceedings in Nobarani v Mariconte [2018] HCA 36 on the basis that the appellant as denied…

Sorry, Frank, it’s over: High Court clarifies position on streaming franking credits to trust beneficiaries

As I begin this post, I acknowledge wholeheartedly that this topic might surprise my collection of followers. While, yes, it is indeed a case review, it is focused on a different arm of succession law practice: trusts generally and *cough*taxation of trusts*cough*. As I witness the evolution of estate law before my eyes, I can’t…

Wife support: FPA by widow dismissed with costs (NSW)

It is a suggestion that arises throughout many estate disputes that the claim of a widow on an estate should be paramount to those of other family member who survive the deceased person. However, as each case is determined on it’s merits, this is not always the case. Yesterday, the Supreme Court of New South Wales…

What is “Contemplation of marriage”: Marriage revokes Will in blended family (NSW)

Last week, the Supreme Court of New South Wales published a judgement in a estate matter where the question of whether a Will was “made in contemplation of marriage” was a central focus of their attention. In the case of Re Estate Grant, deceased [2018] NSWSC 1031, the deceased made a Will dated on about…

FPA 7 years out of time: Allowed on Appeal (WA)

In an unusual case published a few weeks ago, the Western Australian Court of Appeal allowed an extension of time for an adult son to bring a claim against his late father’s estate 7 years after the time limit expired. The claim was dismissed at first instance and the adult son appealed asserting 9 different…

“Divorced from reality”: Appeal allowed in former spouse FPA claim (NSW)

Earlier this year, I was surprised to read a judgement where a former spouse successfully claimed for further provision from her former husband’s estate notwithstanding the pair had completed a property settlement 25 years prior. You can read my earlier post here. It may come as no surprise that the matter was appealed to the…

Selfless surrender: defacto partner applies for Statutory Will to benefit mother and sisters (NSW)

Sadly, it’s not often I read of a case where the applicant/plaintiff’s endeavours lack self-interest. Given the nature of estate litigation, generally in a good portion of the cases, self-interest takes a front seat. Of course, that doesn’t mean to say that it is greed or something sinister that drives a person to take…

Michele Davis

Audio-Visually signed COVID Will admitted to Probate via s18 Application (QLD)

No Undue Influence + Mutual Wills: Appeal dismissed in Birch v Birch case (Qld)

Fractured Relationship: abuse and estrangement in FPA, provision ordered (NSW)

Decision Impossible: FPA by disabled son against widow, forcing sale of family home in notional estate (NSW)

Screen Test: Court of Appeal prefers lawyer’s evidence over medical on testamentary capacity (NSW)

New legislative changes for Attorneys and Administrators

Thank you for making me a Finalist

Fractured Relationship: abuse and estrangement in FPA, provision ordered (NSW)

Seeing is believing?: Will not seen by, or read to, deceased, upheld (VIC)

Decision Impossible: FPA by disabled son against widow, forcing sale of family home in notional estate (NSW)

Family Affair: trust and property transfers set aside on bad faith and unconscionability (QLD)

Screen Test: Court of Appeal prefers lawyer’s evidence over medical on testamentary capacity (NSW)

Duty Bound: solicitor’s duty to beneficiary of incapable testator after inter vivos transfer

Danger Zone: costs against plaintiff in FPA in small estate (NSW)

New legislative changes for Attorneys and Administrators

Optional Extra: Court held exercise of Option to Purchase not done properly

Decisions, Decisions: ‘bad faith’ SMSF Trustee discretion decision set aside, Trustee removed

Catch and Release: Court considers when s33Z applies to a ‘purported’ Will (Qld)

Renewable Power: Court permits Attorney to renew superannuation nomination (QLD)

Missing element: High Court orders new trial in solemn form probate proceedings; denial of procedural fairness

Sorry, Frank, it’s over: High Court clarifies position on streaming franking credits to trust beneficiaries

Wife support: FPA by widow dismissed with costs (NSW)

What is “Contemplation of marriage”: Marriage revokes Will in blended family (NSW)

FPA 7 years out of time: Allowed on Appeal (WA)

“Divorced from reality”: Appeal allowed in former spouse FPA claim (NSW)

Selfless surrender: defacto partner applies for Statutory Will to benefit mother and sisters (NSW)