ByLawyers News and Updates

101 Succession Answers – Vic

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By Lawyers is delighted to release the latest in our 101 Reference Series – the comprehensive reference guide 101 Succession Answers – VIC. This useful resource provides more detailed information than the By Lawyers commentaries on the various areas and issues in succession law. It includes discussion, with links to legislation and cases, on:

  • powers of attorney and supportive attorney appointment;
  • medical treatment decision-making;
  • wills;
  • appointments of guardianship and administration;
  • estates – probate and administration; and
  • family provision.

101 Succession Answers VIC is now a related guide in LEAP – and included for new and existing website subscribers – to these Victorian By Lawyers publications:

  • Wills, Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Directives;
  • Estates; and
  • Family Provision Claims.

This is a must-have, easy-reference, resource providing detailed information in a quickly accessible and searchable format. Tricky questions can be answered quickly using the guide’s alphabetical headings, ‘Ctrl+F’ searchability and plain English format. Practitioners can quickly address specific technical issues as they arise in a matter.

The By Lawyers team will be keeping 101 Succession Answers VIC updated with all relevant new cases and legislation as developments in these areas of law occur.

Electronic conveyancing – ACT

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Electronic conveyancing commenced in the ACT on 1 June 2020.

Legislation

The Land Titles (Electronic Conveyancing) Legislation Amendment Act 2020 and the Electronic Conveyancing National Law (ACT) Act 2020 came into effect on 1 June 2020. Together they introduced electronic conveyancing to the ACT.

Electronic conveyancing

The legislation does not mandate the use of electronic conveyancing. It remains a matter of choice for the parties to the transaction.

Electronic Conveyancing allows practitioners and financial institutions to interact and transact together online. Documents are created, signed and lodged within the online environment. All necessary steps to settle the transaction are completed within that online environment.

For assistance see the dedicated commentary ‘A brief explanation of the transition to E-conveyancing‘ which can be found in the Reference materials folder on the By Lawyers Conveyancing matter plans. This helpful resource contains information on how to get connected with PEXA or Sympli and covers verification of identity, client authorisation and certification and record keeping.

Verification of identity and client authorisation

Before entering into a transaction and executing a form to be lodged at the Land Titles Office – either electronically or in person – practitioners must be authorised by their client. This occurs by the client executing the Client Authorisation Form prior to completion.

Practitioners must take reasonable steps to verify that the client is a legal person and has the right to enter into the transaction. Documents used to verify a person’s identity must be retained for at least seven years from the date the Instrument is lodged with the Land Titles Office. Land Titles Office documents are being updated to include the new certification requirements.

The Land Titles Office will accept the existing forms lodged by legal practitioners and mortgagees up to 1 September 2020. If lodging dealings on a form without the certification requirements, practitioners must meet all the requirements of that form, including all signatures, witnessing requirements and producing the paper certificate of title, if required, as evidence of the right-to-deal.

Precedent updates

The By Lawyers Conveyancing (ACT) publication has been updated to include all necessary verification of identity and client authorisation forms. The relevant precedents have been updated to include electronic conveyancing options.

Personal injury – QLD

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A useful recent case has been added to the commentary in the By Lawyers Personal injury – QLD publication.

In Folwell v Mayer [2020] QSC 162 the court allowed the applicant an extension of time. The circumstances were that the applicant had issued a complying notice of claim under Part 1 of the Personal Injuries Proceedings Act 2002 (Qld) within the limitation period, but had not otherwise completed the pre-litigation procedures required under the Act and was out of time to commence proceedings.

The applicant applied under s 59 of the Act for leave to commence proceedings even though the limitation period had expired.

The court reviewed the legislation and the cases on such applications, in some detail.

The factual circumstances were also examined closely, especially the chronology of the steps taken in relation to the matter by the applicant and her solicitors. These factual details proved to be determinative, as is usually the case in such applications.

The court found that the applicant herself had been less than pro-active in pursuing her claim, but further found that ‘… on the material before the court, the failure to conscientiously comply with the legislative requirements… rests predominantly with the applicant’s solicitor, rather than the applicant herself.’

The court also noted that ‘…the respondent does not identify any specific prejudice it will suffer if the application is granted.’

In the circumstances, notwithstanding the delay, the court determined that the applicant had an arguable claim and there could still be a fair trial. Accordingly the court ruled that ‘…the interests of justice favour exercising the discretion to grant the application to alter the limitation period under s 59’.

The case has been added to the commentary in Personal injury – QLD under Limitation periods.

Motor Accident claims disputes – NSW

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The NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) has launched its new digital portal for motor accident claims disputes. The new platform allows online lodgement, gives all parties to a dispute access to real-time status updates, and is designed to enhance communication and efficiency.

Motor accidents in NSW which occurred after 1 December 2017 are covered by the Motor Accidents Injuries Act 2017 (MAIA). Under the MAIA disputes scheme there is a SIRA Dispute Resolution Service (DRS) established by sections 7.2 and 7.3 to consider and determine a wide range of disputes as set out in Schedule 2 of the MAIA.

The types of disputes fall into three broad categories:

  • Merit Review;
  • Medical Assessment issues;
  • Claims Assessment matters;
  • Miscellaneous disputes.

Essentially, the DRS is the ‘one-stop shop’ for disputes under the scheme.

Application for resolution of motor accident claims disputes can now be lodged online via the SIRA DRS portal.

The portal can also be used to check the progress of applications, receive notification of the outcome of the dispute and to lodge any review if required.

To use the portal practitioners need to register an account with Service NSW and link the account with SIRA.

The By Lawyers Motor Vehicle Accidents (NSW) – Accidents from 1 December 2017 guide has been updated accordingly.

Lodgments via Sympli – NSW

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Transfer and duty lodgments

The range of lodgments via Sympli that are available in NSW has expanded.

Sympli has now been approved by NSW Land Registry Services and Revenue NSW for transfer and duty lodgments.

The following documents can now be lodged through Sympli:

Stand alone transactions 

  • Caveat
  • Withdrawal of Caveat
  • Priority Notice
  • Priority Notice Extension
  • Priority Notice Withdrawal
  • Mortgage
  • Discharge of Mortgage
  • Notice of Death
  • Transmission Application to Executor

Financial settlement transactions

  • Transfer
  • Mortgage
  • Discharge of Mortgage

The By Lawyers Conveyancing and Property guides for NSW provide property law practitioners with practical commentary and useful precedents for all aspects of the conveyancing process.

Transfer and duty lodgments – SA

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Transfer and duty lodgments with Sympli

Electronic settlements provider Sympli has expanded its service offering in South Australia. The Office of the Registrar-General, Land Services SA and Revenue SA approved Sympli for transfer and duty lodgments this week.

The following documents can now be lodged through Sympli:

Stand alone transactions 

  • Caveat
  • Withdrawal of Caveat
  • Mortgage
  • Discharge of Mortgage

Financial settlement transactions

  • Transfer
  • Mortgage
  • Discharge of Mortgage

By Lawyers South Australian Conveyancing guides provide practical commentary and helpful precedents for all aspects of the conveyancing process.

Re-issued practice notes – NSW

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The Supreme Court has re-issued practice notes in relation to procedure in the Common Law division for some of the court’s specialist lists. The additions and amendments to these Practice Notes mainly clarify or enhance aspects of case management by the court.

The Re-issued Practice Notes are as follows:

SC CL 7 – Professional Negligence List

SC CL 6 – Possession List

SC CL 4 – Defamation List

SC CL 3 – Administrative & Industrial Law List

There are also corresponding and additional minor amendments to SC CL 1 General regarding case management in the Common Law Division generally.

All these amended practice notes commenced from 25 May 2020, except PN CL 7 which will commence 1 June 2020.

The By Lawyers Supreme Court Common Law – Acting for the plaintiff and Acting for the Defendant guides contain numerous relevant links to these and other practice notes. The commentaries and links in these guides have been updated accordingly.

Subpoena objections – FED

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New cases on subpoena objections in the Federal jurisdiction have been added to the By Lawyers reference guide 101 Subpoena Answers.

In Kitchen v Director of Professional Services Review under s 83 of the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cth) (No 3) [2020] FCA 634 the Federal Court affirmed McIlwain v Ramsey Food Packaging Pty Ltd [2005] FCA 1233 and also Tamawood Ltd v Habitare Developments Pty Ltd [2009] FCA 364 to the effect that:

  • a request for a subpoena cannot be used to disguise an application for discovery of documents, or as an alternative to an application for further and better discovery;
  • documents for production must be identified with reasonable particularity;
  • the material sought must have an adjectival relevance, that is, an apparent relevance to the issues in the principal proceedings; there must be a legitimate forensic purpose for the production of documents;
  • a mere ‘fishing’ exercise can never justify the issue of subpoenas;
  • a wide-ranging subpoena seeking documents of doubtful relevance at great inconvenience to, or that risk compromising the commercial privacy of, a third party, may not readily attract the grant of leave; and
  • the issue of the subpoena must not, in all the circumstances, be oppressive in terms of its impact on the recipient.

101 Subpoena Answers is available in all By Lawyers litigation guides. It can assist practitioners with issuing and responding to subpoenas in all jurisdictions including the various grounds for subpoena objections.

101 Succession Answers – QLD

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By Lawyers is delighted to release the latest in our 101 Reference Series – a comprehensive reference guide 101 Succession Answers for Queensland dealing with:

  • powers of attorney and advance health directives;
  • wills;
  • estates – probate and administration; and
  • family provision.

101 Succession Answers is now included for new and existing subscribers to these QLD publications:

  • Wills, Powers of Attorney and Advance Health Directives;
  • Estates; and
  • Family Provision Claims.

This is a must-have, easy-reference resource for all firms, providing detailed information in a quickly accessible and searchable format. Tricky questions can be answered quickly using the guide’s alphabetical headings and plain English format. The content can be cut and pasted into letters or emails to clients addressing their specific queries, either in response to an initial enquiry or during the course of the matter.

  • When is an attorney to consider that their principal is incommunicate?
  • Can a solicitor take a benefit under a will that the solicitor has witnessed?
  • Under what circumstances might a grant of probate be revoked?
  • Has the High Court considered the position of an adult child who brings a family provision claim on the basis that their estranged parent previously promised them an inheritance?

Anyone in the firm will be able to readily answer questions such as these with 101 Succession Answers!

Uniform Civil Rules – SA

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The much heralded Uniform Civil Court Rules 2020 commenced in South Australia on 18 May 2020. CourtSA’s new electronic registry system commenced on the same day.

The new rules apply to proceedings commenced and steps taken in all SA civil proceedings on or after 18 May. They are to be cited at the Uniform Civil Rules 2020.

All By Lawyers SA litigation guides have been updated to reflect the new rules and procedures.

Significant amendments

The Uniform Civil Rules 2020 bring many changes.

Universal rules as to pleadings apply across all three courts and are found in Part 7 of the Rules, subject to exceptions for ‘minor civil actions’. There are specific rules for specific types of actions, for example, personal injury. There are some specific rules only applicable to the Magistrates Court.

Description of parties

One of the most significant changes is the terminology used to describe the parties. Under the Uniform Civil Rules 2020 a ‘plaintiff’ is now an ‘applicant’, a ‘defendant’ is now a ‘respondent’ and an ‘intervenor’ is now an ‘interested party’. These terms apply to all civil matters in all SA courts. By Lawyers commentary and precedents, including the titles of precedents, have been amended accordingly.

Pre-action requirements

Some of the major changes relate to pre-action requirements. The rules now specify:

  • how documents are to be served;
  • what is to be included in a pre-action claim, including a cost estimate if the matter were to proceed to trial;
  • a requirement for a pre-action response that includes a cost estimate;
  • a further response from the proposed applicant if a cross claim is indicated;
  • a pre-action third party notice and response if a third party is to be added;
  • a requirement for a pre-action negotiation meeting and subsequent report if the matter does not resolve.

There are serious procedural and costs implications for non-compliance with pre-action requirements.

Cross claims and set offs

There are also significant changes to the procedure for cross claims and set offs and claims against, or claims for contribution by, third parties. This includes time limits and requirements for filing and service of such claims.

Expert witnesses

The rules now set out in detail the obligations of parties regarding their letter requesting the expert report. They apply an expert code of conduct and address in detail the required content of an expert report.

Parties may request instead shorter, ‘summary reports’ from experts that address only the assumptions made and opinions held in summary form. These can attach only copies of documents that record instructions given to the expert, rather than comply fully with the disclosure obligations.

Family provision claims

The procedure for family provision claims previously set out under the Supreme Court rules has been streamlined. Notably the required information regarding other potential claimants no longer needs to be contained in a separate affidavit. See the By Lawyers commentaries in the Family Provision guides for more information on the changes.

Amendments to By Lawyers guides

The following By Lawyers SA publications have now been amended – and renamed, where applicable – in line with the Uniform Civil Rules 2020:

  • Magistrates Court Civil – Acting for the Applicant (formerly Magistrates Court Acting for the Plaintiff)
  • Magistrates Court Civil – Acting for the Respondent (formerly Magistrates Court – Acting for the Defendant)
  • Magistrates Court – Intervention Orders (located in Criminal Magistrates Court)
  • Family Provision Claims – Acting for the Applicant (Formerly Family Provision Claims Acting for the Plaintiff)
  • Family Provision Claims – Acting for the Respondent (Formerly Family Provision Claims Acting for the Estate)

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