Cristovao v Tan & Tan Lawyers Pty Ltd [2018] FCAFC 41

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Cristovao v Tan & Tan Lawyers Pty Ltd [2018] FCAFC 41 Appeal from: Tan & Tan Lawyers Pty Ltd, in the matter of Cristovao v Cristovao [2017] FCA 786

File number: WAD 405 of 2017

Judges: BROMBERG, MORTIMER, LEE JJ

Date of judgment: 27 March 2018

Catchwords: BANKRUPTCY – appeal from the making of a sequestration order – matter involving significant litigious history spanning numerous courts – whether the primary judge erred in failing to disqualify himself, failing to go behind the judgment and failing to find that there was other sufficient cause not to make a sequestration order – consideration of whether the failure by the respondent to disclose professional indemnity insurance during proceedings in the state court meant that the costs order relied upon for the bankruptcy notice was invalid – whether the primary judge erred in rejecting an argument that there had been a breach of the indemnity principle in the process of finding that the underlying debt was still owing – no appellable error demonstrated and appeal dismissed

Legislation: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth), ss 52(1), 52(1)(c), 52(2), 52(2)(b) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), ss 24(1A), 31A(2), 37M(1) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth), s 39B(1) Rules of the Supreme Court 1971 (WA), O 9A

Cases cited: Adams v London Improved Motor Coach Builders, Limited [1921] 1 KB 495 Cassegrain v Commonwealth Development Bank of Australia Ltd [2003] NSWCA 260 CDJ v VAJ [1998] HCA 67; (1998) 197 CLR 172 Cristovao v Butcher Paull & Calder [No 3] [2011] WASCA 10 Cristovao v Tan & Tan Lawyers Pty Ltd [2017] FCA 1201 Cristovao v Tan and Tan Lawyers Pty Ltd [2017] WASCA 54 Cristovao v Tan and Tan Lawyers Pty Ltd [No 2] [2017] WASCA 171 Federal Commissioner of Taxation v Cumins [2008] FCA 353; (2008) 6 ABC(NS) 12 Dyktynski v BHP Titanium Minerals Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 154; (2004) 60 NSWLR 203 Giannarelli v Wraith (No 2) (1991) 171 CLR 592 Gundry v Sainsbury [1910] 1 KB 645 Harold v Smith [1860] 5 H & N 381; 157 ER 1229 Makhoul v Barnes (1995) 60 FCR 572 McCullum v Ifield [1969] 2 NSWR 329 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Jia Legeng [2001] HCA 17; (2001) 205 CLR 507 Ramsay Health Care Australia Pty Ltd v Compton [2017] HCA 28; (2017) 91 ALJR 803 Re Luck [2003] HCA 70; (2003) 78 ALJR 177 Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2016] NSWCA 88; (2016) 332 ALR 128 New Pinnacle Group Silver Mining Co v Luhrig Coal and Ore Dressing Appliances Co (1902) 2 SR(NSW) 50 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568 Wentworth v Rogers [2002] NSWSC 709 Wolff v Donovan (1991) 29 FCR 480