1950/02 DAVID NELEPKOWICZ -v- PERMANENT TRUSTEE COMPANY LIMITED and ANOR
JUDGMENT
1 MASTER: By summons filed on 19 March 2002 the Plaintiff David Nelepkowicz by his tutor Janina Nelepkowicz claims substantively an order for provision for his maintenance, education and advancement in life out of the estate of the late Ernest Popper (to whom I shall refer as "the Deceased").
2 The Plaintiff is the exnuptial child of the Deceased. His status as such is not disputed by the Defendant.
3 The Deceased died on 11 February 2000, aged eighty. He left a will dated 12 February 1998, probate whereof was on 20 April 2000 granted to Permanent Trustee Company Limited and Peter Rodney Karger, the executors named in such will (who are the Defendants to the present proceedings).
4 The inventory of property discloses that at the time of his death the Deceased's assets consisted of moneys in bank accounts, inscribed stock, and other investments, having a total value of about $240,500.
5 By his will the Deceased gave his household chattels and effects to his daughter, Elizabeth Anne Fairweather, gave a legacy of $10,000 to a friend, and gave the residue of his estate to pay the income therefrom
to such of my daughter ELIZABETH ANNE FAIRWEATHER , my granddaughter LYNDA KATHLEEN FAIRWEATHER and my grandson JONATHON BRYAN FAIRWEATHER in such proportions as my Trustees in their absolute discretion shall think fit.
6 The will contained a power of advancement, and then continued,
Upon the death of the said Elizabeth Anne Fairweather (or upon my death if she has predeceased me, I DIRECT my Trustees to distribute my residuary estate to such of the said LYNDA KATHLEEN FAIRWEATHER and JONATHAN BRYAN FAIRWEATHER as are living at the date of death of the survivor of my said daughter and myself (hereinafter called the vesting date) and as also attain the age of eighteen (18) years and if both in equal shares absolutely.
7 The will made no provision for the Plaintiff.
8 Since the death of the Deceased the legacy of $10,000 has been paid, the furniture, jewellery and personal effects (having an estimated value of $18,000) have been distributed to Elizabeth Anne Fairweather and the accrued income, in an amount of $7,500, was distributed to Mrs Fairweather on 5 December 2001. The Defendants presently hold the balance of the estate, in an amount totalling about $302,000.
9 It is estimated on behalf of the Defendants that there will be liabilities totalling about $70,000 which must be paid out of the foregoing assets.
10 Further, it will be appreciated, that in calculating the value of the assets presently available for distribution the costs of the present proceedings must be taken into account. Irrespective of the outcome of the present proceedings, the Defendants will be entitled to an order that their costs be paid out of the estate. It was estimated that those costs would total about $37,000, upon the basis that the hearing occupied only one day. In the event that the Plaintiff be successful in his claim, he also will be entitled to an order that his costs be paid out of the estate. It was estimated that those costs would total about $28,400, upon the basis that the hearing would occupy only one day. Thus a total of about $65,500 must be deducted from the net assets held by the Defendants. However, for reasons which will emerge later in this judgment, the hearing did not conclude in one day, but occupied parts of a number of subsequent days. Thus, it is likely that the total costs which must be paid out of the estate will be substantially in excess of $65,500. It is possible that the totality of the costs will be at least $80,000. It would be prudent therefore to proceed upon the basis that the assets in the hands of the Defendant available for distribution will total little more than $130,000.
11 In this regard, it should be recorded that at the outset of the hearing it was stated by Counsel for the Plaintiff that the claim of the Plaintiff is limited to the undistributed assets in the estate. The Plaintiff makes no claim in respect to those assets which have already been distributed (being the cash legacy, the chattels and personal effects, and the accrued income).
12 The Plaintiff was born on 10 July 1974, of a relationship between his mother, Janina Nelepkowicz, and the Deceased.
13 According to the Plaintiff's mother (to whom I shall refer as "Mrs Nelepkowicz") she met the Deceased in the early 1970s at the Eastern Suburbs Leagues Club, where she was working as a waitress. At that time Mrs Nelepkowicz, who was of Polish birth, was divorced from her husband. She had no children.
14 Mrs Nelepkowicz was twenty-eight years younger than the Deceased, who she understood to have been a widower for ten years at the time when she met him. Mrs Nelepkowicz and the Defendant commenced a sexual relationship. The Plaintiff was born at the Crown Street Women's Hospital, the birth being difficult. He suffered brain damage during his birth. According to Mrs Nelepkowicz the Deceased, whom she said had been present at the birth, suggested shortly after the birth of the Plaintiff, "Will you have him adopted?", to which Mrs Nelepkowicz responded in the negative.
15 Although marriage had been discussed between herself and the Deceased both before and after the birth of the Plaintiff, Mrs Nelepkowicz said that the nature of her relationship with the Deceased changed after the Plaintiff was born. The relationship broke down completely when the Plaintiff was aged five. The Deceased did not ever see the Plaintiff thereafter. It was necessary for Mrs Nelepkowicz to take proceedings in the Local Court for child maintenance against the Deceased. An order in that regard was made on 20 February 1975. The amount of child maintenance was subsequently increased by orders made on 4 January 1978 and 29 October 1981. The Deceased continued to make payments until the Plaintiff attained the age of eighteen in 1992. He made no contribution towards the Plaintiff's maintenance or welfare thereafter.
16 The Plaintiff attended Windgap Handicapped School at Coogee until he was aged eighteen. He then worked in a sheltered workshop for about two weeks. Otherwise he has never been in employment or has had any other occupation. He has difficulty managing ordinary everyday living tasks.
17 Mrs Nelepkowicz is the Plaintiff's sole carer, although she on occasion has respite breaks arranged through Eastern Suburbs Disability Services.
18 The Plaintiff cannot be left alone for any period of time. He is totally dependent upon his mother.
19 The Plaintiff is able to walk, but cannot run. It is usually necessary for his mother to hold his hand. He knows his name, but not his address. He sometimes watches television. His mother sometimes reads to him. She cooks for him. She assists him in showering and toileting and attending to his personal hygiene. She dresses him. The Plaintiff cannot feed himself.
20 The Plaintiff cannot read or write. He cannot use the telephone. He cannot cut his fingernails or toenails. He has no friend of the opposite sex. He has a male friend from the handicapped school.
21 The Plaintiff receives a disability pension of $360 a fortnight, which is paid to his mother. She also receives a carer's pension of $360 a fortnight.
22 The Plaintiff and his mother maintain a frugal and modest lifestyle. They reside in Housing Commission accommodation, consisting of a two bedroom flat at Pyrmont, for which Mrs Nelepkowicz pays rent of $190 a fortnight. The flat is sparsely furnished.
23 Mrs Nelepkowicz's own health is poor. She takes prescribed Ventolin. She has been informed by her doctor that she has a heart condition. She has lost her front upper teeth but cannot afford dental care. Mrs Nelepkowicz is concerned about her ability to care for the Plaintiff as she grows older. She is presently fifty-four years of age. She is concerned for the Plaintiff's care and support if she were to predecease him.
24 There has been placed before the Court an affidavit of John Kennedy-Gould, a qualified social worker, which annexes his report dated 20 August 2002. Mr Kennedy-Gould interviewed both the Plaintiff and his mother on 30 April 2002. In his report he sets forth the results of that interview, and also his assessment and recommendations.
25 It was the opinion of Mr Kennedy-Gould that, despite the fact that David requires twenty-four hour supervision, "it cannot be reasonably said that David is an appropriate candidate for institutional care".
26 The Deceased had been married only once, to Mrs Kathleen Popper. Of that marriage was born only one child, Elizabeth Anne (born on 9 August 1955). Elizabeth (now Mrs Fairweather) is presently aged forty-seven.
27 She was married twice, firstly in 1977, but that marriage failed in the following year, and Elizabeth returned home to her father. The Deceased, his wife and Elizabeth had from 1965 resided in a house property at 261 Military Road, Dover Heights, which had been acquired by the Deceased and Mrs Kathleen Popper in February 1965. On 11 December 1965 Mrs Kathleen Popper died. Elizabeth, who was aged ten at that time, continued to reside with her father until she reached the age of sixteen in 1971. The house property at Dover Heights was registered in the name of the Deceased as surviving joint tenant on 2 May 1966.
28 Elizabeth left home for three months in August 1971, on account of the difficult relationship which at that time obtained between herself and her father (apparently he had a violent temper, and on occasion subjected Elizabeth to physical abuse).
29 On 20 November 1976 the Deceased transferred the Dover Heights property to himself and Elizabeth as joint tenants. That joint tenancy was never severed during the lifetime of the Deceased, although it would appear that the Deceased had in contemplation effecting such a severance. Upon the death of the Deceased the Dover Heights property passed to Mrs Fairweather as surviving joint tenant. She sold that property in October 2000 for $575,000, receiving net proceeds of sale in an amount of $557,967. By that time Elizabeth had married her present husband, John Fairweather, and had become the mother of two children, being Lynda (presently aged fourteen) and Jonathon (presently aged ten). It will be appreciated that the Dover Heights property did not become an asset in the estate of the Deceased.
30 In her affidavit of 4 May 2002 Mrs Faithweather sets forth how she expended the net proceeds of sale of the Dover Heights property. She sold or otherwise disposed of most of the contents of the Dover Heights property. She sold or otherwise disposed of most of the contents of her present residence at Carpenters Lane, Mardi (on the Central Coast, near Tuggerah). She paid out the mortgage which she and her husband owed on their residence ($230,000); she purchased a lounge suite ($3,750), a dining suite ($4,000); repaid a personal debt ($6,000); purchased four queen size beds ($5,000), an oak coffee table ($7,000), a refrigerator ($5,500), new kitchen ($17,500), air-conditioner ($17,500); installed a roof over the patio ($12,000), security blinds ($13,000), security sliding doors and burglar alarm system ($1,500); purchased television, DVD player, stereo, Playstation, computer and associated equipment ($24,600); installed light fittings; acquired garden tools and implements; made gifts to family members; expended money on entertainment; and paid for gardening work, construction of a retaining wall, erection of fences and a swimming pool.
31 In paragraph 41 of that affidavit Mrs Fairweather states,
Due to the above expenses, every penny is now gone from the proceeds of sale of this property.
32 At the present time Mrs Fairweather and her husband have the following assets:
Residence, Carpenters Lane, Mardi - $500,000 (estimated)