The Estate of Milan Zlatevski; Geroska v Zlatevski (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 388

The Estate of Milan Zlatevski; Geroska v Zlatevski (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 388

The defendant did not establish that this case met the exceptions justifying departure from the ordinary rule that costs follow the event; there was no evidence of mental incapacity or suspicious circumstances surrounding the will, nor reasonable grounds to investigate testamentary capacity or other pleaded claims.

Jurisdiction
Australia
Judgment Date
14 April 2020
Procedural Posture
Contested Probate/costs Application / Post Judgment Costs Determination
Outcome
Application to vary costs order refused; costs order maintained.
Legal Topics
['contested Probate' 'testamentary Capacity' 'costs in Probate Proceedings']

Case Brief

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Procedural Posture

Contested Probate/costs Application / Post Judgment Costs Determination

  1. 1 ["Whether the defendant's costs should be paid out of the deceased's estate or each party should bear their own costs" 'Whether the deceased was the cause of the litigation such that exceptions to the general rule on costs in probate apply' "Whether it was reasonable for the defendant to investigate the deceased's will"]

Ratio Decidendi

The defendant did not establish that this case met the exceptions justifying departure from the ordinary rule that costs follow the event; there was no evidence of mental incapacity or suspicious circumstances surrounding the will, nor reasonable grounds to investigate testamentary capacity or other pleaded claims.

Court Disposition

Application to vary costs order refused; costs order maintained.

Orders

  • ["Defendant to pay the plaintiff's costs of the proceedings."]