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The Public Trustee v Gerritsen

The Public Trustee v Gerritsen

Case [2012] WASC 201 14 June 2012

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THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE -v- GERRITSEN [2012] WASC 201

Jurisdiction:	SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA	Citation No:	[2012] WASC 201
Case No:	CIV:1614/2011	Heard:	14 JUNE 2012
Coram:	BEECH J	Delivered:	14/06/12
No of pages:	12	Judgment Part:	1 of 1
Result:	Probate granted of informal will
Category:	B
PDF Version

Parties:	THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE STELLA MAUREEN GERRITSEN RONALD JOHN ROBERTS as the personal representative of the Estate of KATHLEEN JOYCE ROBERTS RHONDA HENRY DENISE CINDY HUGHES ELEANOR JEAN ROSS PATRICIA DIANE WATSON HELEN JOYCE WESSELS DEBRA GAIL ROBERTS MARGARET ANNE PRICE WAYNE LESLIE ROBERTS CHERYL MAY BLAKE
Catchwords:	Wills Probate Informal wills Whether will signed by testator but not witnessed was intended to constitute the testator's will
Legislation:	Wills Act 1970 (WA), s 32
Case References:	Dalton v Dalton [2008] WASC 56 Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359 Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Drennan [2004] WASC 101 Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118

JURISDICTION : SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

IN CIVIL

CITATION : THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE -v- GERRITSEN [2012] WASC 201 CORAM : BEECH J HEARD : 14 JUNE 2012 DELIVERED : 14 JUNE 2012 FILE NO/S : CIV 1614 of 2011 MATTER : The will of WILLIAM ROBERTS late of Unit 1/90-92 Forest Street, North Perth in the State of Western Australia (Dec) BETWEEN : THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE

Plaintiff

AND

STELLA MAUREEN GERRITSEN

First Defendant

RONALD JOHN ROBERTS as the personal representative of the Estate of KATHLEEN JOYCE ROBERTS

Second Defendant

RHONDA HENRY

DENISE CINDY HUGHES

Third Defendants

ELEANOR JEAN ROSS

PATRICIA DIANE WATSON

HELEN JOYCE WESSELS

DEBRA GAIL ROBERTS

MARGARET ANNE PRICE

WAYNE LESLIE ROBERTS

(Page 2)

CHERYL MAY BLAKE

Fourth Defendants

Catchwords:

Wills - Probate - Informal wills - Whether will signed by testator but not witnessed was intended to constitute the testator's will

Legislation:

Wills Act 1970 (WA), s 32

Result:

Probate granted of informal will

Category: B

Representation:

Counsel:

Plaintiff : Mr D L Jones

First Defendant : Mr P J Marsh

Second Defendant : No appearance

Third Defendants : No appearance

Fourth Defendants : No appearance

Solicitors:

Plaintiff : Public Trustee (WA)

First Defendant : Waterside Legal

Second Defendant : No appearance

Third Defendants : In person

Fourth Defendants : Nielsen & Co

(Page 3)

Case(s) referred to in judgment(s):

Dalton v Dalton [2008] WASC 56
Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359
Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408
Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174
Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220
Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191
Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198
The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111
The Public Trustee in and for…

Grounds of appeal

[14] The appellant contends that the primary judge erred in finding that the respondent had discharged the onus of establishing the matters required under the relevant provision.

[15] It was submitted that his Honour failed to give adequate weight to the evidence of the second witness, and that the findings of fact were not reasonably open on the material before the Court.

[16] The respondent, for its part, submits that no error is disclosed, and that the conclusions reached were well within the range of outcomes available to the primary judge.

Consideration

[17] It is convenient to deal first with the question of construction, as the resolution of that issue informs the remaining grounds advanced by the appellant.

[18] For the reasons that follow, we are of the view that the appeal should be allowed in part and the matter remitted for further determination.

Continue reading The Public Trustee v Gerritsen

Details

AGLC: The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201
Case: [2012] WASC 201
Decision Date: 14 JUNE 2012

CaseChat Overview and Summary

In the matter of The Public Trustee v Gerritsen, the court was tasked with determining whether a document signed by the deceased, Gerritsen, but not witnessed, was intended to constitute his will. The deceased had executed a document which contained testamentary provisions but did not comply with the formalities required by law, specifically the presence of witnesses. The issue before the court was whether this document, despite its informality, was intended to serve as the testator's will. The court had to assess the intent of the deceased in creating the document and whether it was meant to replace a formal will.

The legal issues before the court were centred on the interpretation of the deceased's intent and the application of the doctrine of informal wills. The court considered whether the document, though not witnessed, contained clear and unequivocal expressions of the deceased's wishes to replace a formal will. It was necessary to examine the content and context of the document to determine if it constituted an effective testamentary disposition. The court also had to evaluate if the informal will met the criteria for being recognised under the relevant legislation.

The court held that the document, while not witnessed, was intended by the deceased to constitute his will. The document contained clear and unequivocal expressions of the deceased's testamentary intent, and there was no evidence to suggest that the deceased intended to create a formal will. The court found that the deceased had acted deliberately in creating the document and that it served as a substitute for a formal will. Therefore, the court granted probate of the informal will. The clear intention of the deceased and the lack of any indication of a desire to create a formal will were pivotal in the court's decision.

Orders

Orders of the court

Probate granted of informal will

Background

Background to the litigation

Full text does not contain this section.

Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

Full text does not contain this section.

Decision

Reasons for decision

Full text does not contain this section.

Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

Full text does not contain this section.

Citations

AGLC Citation

The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201

Most Recent Citation

Lindsay v McGrath [2015] QCA 206

Cases citing this decision · 11 of 11 shown

Rizzi v Holborow
[2023] WASC 400 Para 1

…um requirements. [1] Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118 [26]; applied in Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 [4] (Hall J); The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 [14] (Beech J); Fairclough v Cvitan [2019] WASC 370 [26] (Kenneth Martin J).…
Wood v Melvin
[2023] WASC 291

…WASC 272 Gornall v Mason (1887) 12 PD 142 In the Will of Steward, deceased [1964] VR 179 Palin v Ponting [1930] P 185 The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 Timbury v Coffee (1941) 66 CLR 277 Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118…
Murphy v Lewis
[2021] WASC 251 Para 1

…Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118 [22] ‑ [26] (EM Heenan J); applied in Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 [4] (Hall J); The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 [14] (Beech J); Fairclough v Cvitan [2019] WASC 370 [26] (Kenneth Martin J).…
Cassarino v Cassarino
[2020] NSWSC 454 Para 21

…llpot v Olney [2004] NSWSC 592 at [7] (White J (as his Honour then was)); Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 at [4] (Hall J); Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 at [14] (Beech J); Fairclough v Cvitan [2019] WASC 370 at [26] (Kenneth Martin J).…
Crisp v Australian Rotary Health Research Fund
[2019] WASC 486 Para 1

…ions; and second, whether the deceased intended that the document constitute his will.[39] [38] Exhibit 1, Tab 2. [39] The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201; Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408; Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191; Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220; Dal…
Fairclough v Cvitan
[2019] WASC 370 Para 2

…s Cvitan have agreed upon a resolution of how the estate will be administered: see Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 [4] and Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 [14]. See also the observations of Lindsay J in Estate of Kouvakas ; Lucas v Konakas [2014] NSWSC 786 [251], [262] and [263].…
Devine v Richardson
[2019] WASC 272 Para 4

…the interested parties have agreed how the estate will be administered.[24] [24] Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319, [4]; The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 [14]…
Young v Martin
[2018] WASCA 206 Para 5

…t as his or her will.[5] [5] Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 [54] ‑ [55] (citations of authority omitted); see also The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 [16] ‑ [26]; Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 [56].…
The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Watson
[2017] WASC 205 Para 1

…death; that is, it must have been intended by the deceased to have present operation as his or her will [54]. See also The Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201 [16] ‑ [26].…
Lindsay v McGrath
[2015] QCA 206 Para 15

…n some such cases, that conclusion may be able to be drawn from the terms of the document written and signed by the person.’” [12][2012] WASC 201 at [20]. [13]As cited at [14] of the appellant’s outline of argument. Discussion…
D'Unienville v Sakalo [No 2]
[2013] WASC 469 Para 6

…encer [2009] WASC 198; In the Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 [20]; Dalton v Dalton [2008] WASC 56; and Public Trustee v Gerritsen [2012] WASC 201.…

View all 11 citing cases →

Cases cited in this decision · 15 of 15 shown

Deeks v Greenwood
[2011] WASC 359

…Dalton v Dalton [2008] WASC 56 Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359 Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines…
Mitchell v Mitchell
[2010] WASC 174

…Dalton v Dalton [2008] WASC 56 Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359 Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines…
Tolson v Hender
[2009] WASC 319

…te of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Drennan [2004] WASC 101 Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118…
Spencer v Spencer
[2009] WASC 198

…chell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Drennan [2004] WASC 101 Tolson…
Oreski v Ikac
[2008] WASCA 220

…Dalton [2008] WASC 56 Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359 Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] W…
Dalton v Dalton
[2008] WASC 56

…Dalton v Dalton [2008] WASC 56 Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359 Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hine…
Oreski v Ikac
[2007] WASC 195 Para 105

…t the document should, without more on his or her part, operate as his or her will: Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 [56] and Oreski v Ikac [2007] WASC 195 at [105].…
Phillpot v Olney
[2004] NSWSC 592

…o do so. I accept however that the fact that the parties have agreed upon orders to resolve this matter is a relevant consideration: Phillpot v Olney [2004] NSWSC 592. See also Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118 [22] - [26] (EM Heenan J).…
Equity Trustees Ltd v Levin
[2004] VSC 203

…instructions, or a draft will or a 'trial run': In the Estate of Masters (Dec), Hill v Plummer (1994) 33 NSWLR 446, 455; Equity Trustees Ltd v Levin [2004] VSC 203. As Young CJ in Eq pointed out in Macey v Finch [2002] NSWSC 933 [23], even where a draft will has been prepared in accordance with the deceased's in…
The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Drennan
[2004] WASC 101

…Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Drennan [2004] WASC 101 Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118…
Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec)
[2003] WASC 191

…v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia…
Wheatley v Edgar
[2003] WASC 118

…999] WASC 111 The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Drennan [2004] WASC 101 Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 118…
Macey v Finch
[2002] NSWSC 933

…of Masters (Dec), Hill v Plummer (1994) 33 NSWLR 446, 455; Equity Trustees Ltd v Levin [2004] VSC 203. As Young CJ in Eq pointed out in Macey v Finch [2002] NSWSC 933 [23], even where a draft will has been prepared in accordance with the deceased's instructions, it is quite common for testators to change their mind…
Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris
[2001] NSWCA 408

…Dalton v Dalton [2008] WASC 56 Deeks v Greenwood [2011] WASC 359 Hatsatouris v Hatsatouris [2001] NSWCA 408 Mitchell v Mitchell [2010] WASC 174 Oreski v Ikac [2008] WASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines…
The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines
[1999] WASC 111

…ASCA 220 Re Estate of Frederick Raymond Reeve Perriman (dec) [2003] WASC 191 Spencer v Spencer [2009] WASC 198 The Estate of Kevin John Hines v Hines [1999] WASC 111 The Public Trustee in and for the State of Western Australia v Drennan [2004] WASC 101 Tolson v Hender [2009] WASC 319 Wheatley v Edgar [2003] WASC 1…

Legislation cited in this decision · 2

Wills Act 1970 (WA)
32 2 mentions
Wills Amendment Act 2007 (WA)
1 mention