Megerditchian v Khatchadourian

[2020] NSWCA 229

Court of Appeal

Supreme Court

New South Wales

• Summary available

Medium Neutral Citation:

Megerditchian v Khatchadourian [2020] NSWCA 229

Hearing dates:

28 July 2020

Date of orders:

25 September 2020

Decision date:

25 September 2020

Before:

Macfarlan JA at [1]; Payne JA at [2]; Emmett AJA at [67]

Decision:

(1)   Appeal dismissed;

(2)   Appellant to pay the costs of the respondent.

Catchwords:

SUCCESSION – family provision – claim by adult child – judgment in favour of appellant for provision from notional estate – whether adequate provision for the proper maintenance, education or advancement of the appellant

Legislation Cited:

Family Provision Act 1982 (NSW)

Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Pt 3.3, ss 57(1)(c), 59, 60, Ch 3

Cases Cited:

Andrew v Andrew (2012) 81 NSWLR 656; [2012] NSWCA 308

Blendell v Blendell [2020] NSWCA 154

Chan v Chan [2016] NSWCA 222

Goodman v Windeyer (1980) 144 CLR 490; [1980] HCA 31

House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40

HughesvNationalTrustees,Executorsand AgencyCompanyofAustralasiaLimited (1979) 143 CLR 134; [1979] HCA 2

McCosker v McCosker (1957) 97 CLR 566; [1957] HCA 82

Megerditchian v Khatchadourian [2019] NSWSC 1870

Megerditchian v Khatchadourian (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 112

Nicholls v Hall [2007] NSWCA 356

Norbis v Norbis (1986) 161 CLR 513; [1986] HCA 17

Poletti v Jones [2015] NSWCA 107

Re the Will of FB Gilbert (1946) 46 SR (NSW) 318

Sgro v Thompson [2017] NSWCA 326

Singer v Berghouse (1994) 181 CLR 201; [1994] HCA 40

Slack v Rogan (2013) 85 NSWLR 253; [2013] NSWSC 522

Tobin v Ezekiel (2012) 83 NSWLR 757; [2012] NSWCA 285

Vigolo v Bostin (2005) 221 CLR 191; [2005] HCA 11

Texts Cited:

HF Jolowicz and Barry Nicholas, Historical Introduction to the Study of Roman Law (3rd ed, 1972, Cambridge University Press)

Category:

Principal judgment

Parties:

Vanoush Megerditchian (Appellant)
Hampartzoum Khatchadourian (Respondent)

Representation:

Counsel:
V R W Gray (Appellant)
C Wood SC with P J Muscat (Respondent)

Solicitors:
Corporate & Civil Legal (Appellant)
Shad Partners (Respondent)

File Number(s):

2020/83474

Publication restriction:

Nil.

 Decision under appeal 

Court or tribunal:

Supreme Court of New South Wales

Jurisdiction:

Equity - Family Provision List

Citation:

[2019] NSWSC 1870

Date of Decision:

20 December 2019

Before:

Parker J

File Number(s):

2018/318533

HEADNOTE

[This headnote is not to be read as part of the judgment]

The appellant, Vanoush Megerditchian, aged 71, successfully sought provision under the Succession Act 2006 (NSW) out of the estate of her late father, Souren Khatchadourian, who died in May 2019 at the age of 91. The primary judge found that proper provision did not require equality between the testator’s children and that Mr Khatchadourian was entitled to make greater provision for his son who remained close to his parents over many decades than for his daughter who did not. The primary judge rejected the appellant’s case that proper provision for the appellant required the purchase for her of a house, together…