Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, in the matter of Ebner [2003] FCA 73

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy, in the matter of Ebner [2003] FCA 73

BANKRUPTCY – trustee in bankruptcy – supervision by the Court – s 178 Bankruptcy Act – whether available for personal injury

PERSONAL PROPERTY –proof of ownership – inferred from possession – inferred from ownership of land on which property is found TORT – personal property – conversion – assertion of ownership – failure to return TRUSTS AND TRUSTEES – property purchased by wife using husband's credit card – inference of resulting trusts – whether rebutted by the presumption of advancement – whether presumption available in case of jointly enjoyed chattels Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) ss 54(1), 58, 130(2), 149 and 178

Abesbaum, In re; Irving Trust Co. v Abesbaum 70 F2d 628 (2d Cir 1934) referred to Abrahams v Trustee of the property of Abrahams [2000] WTLR 593 cited Armory v Delamire (1721) 93 ER 664 referred to Bishop, Re; National Provincial Bank Ltd v Bishop [1965] 1 Ch 450disapproved Blair v Curran (1939) 62 CLR 464 applied Claflin & Co v The Continental Jersey Works 11 SE 721 (1890) cited Clark, Re (A Bankrupt), Ex parte The Trustee v Texaco Ltd [1975] 1 WLR 559 followed Cohen In re, deceased; National Provincial Bank Ltd v Katz [1953] 1 Ch 88 cited Dingle, Re; Westpac Banking Corporation v Worrell (1993) 47 FCR 478 referred to Dyer v Dyer (1788) 30 ER 42 cited Ebrand v Dancer (1630) 2 ChCas 26 cited First National Bank of Rodgers v Tribble 244 FW33 (1922) cited Fogarty, In the Marriage of (1976) 27 FLR 257 cited Hall, Re (1957) 20 ABC 21 referred to Houghton; Ex parte (1810) 17 VesJr 253 cited Howard E Perry & Co Ltd v British Railway Board [1980] 1 WLR 1375 followed James; Ex parte (1874) 9 Ch App 609 applied Jeffries v Great Western Railway (1856) 119 ER 680 referred to Johnson v Pickering [1907] 2 KB 437 cited Jones v Maynard [1951] 1 Ch 572 distinguished Kuwait Airways Corporation v Iraqi Airways Co (Mance J, 29 July 1998, Queens Bench Division, unreported) followed Macchia v Nilant (2001) 110 FCR 101 applied Oakley v Lyster [1931] 1 KB 148 followed Peters, Re; ex parte Lloyd (1882) 47 LT 64 referred to Pickard v Pickard (1981) 7 Family Law Reports 636 cited Rathwell v Rathwell [1978] 2 SCR 436 cited Reid, Re; Clarke v Reid (1998) 85 FCR 452 cited Rider v Kidder (1805) 10 VesJr 630 cited Sheppard v Cartwright [1955] AC 431 cited Short v The City Bank (1912) 12 SR (NSW) 186 followed Silver v Silver [1958] 1 WLR 259 considered Smith v Torr (1862) 3 F&F 505 doubted South Staffordshire Water Company v Sharman [1896] 2 QB 44 followed Tyndall, Re; (1977) 30 FLR 6 referred to Winkfield, The [1902] P 42 referred to Crossley Vaines on Personal Property 5th ed (1973) Palmer & McKendrick (eds) Interests in Goods 2nd(1998) IN THE MATTER OF MAXWELL WILLIAM EBNER INGRID EBNER v THE OFFICIAL TRUSTEE IN BANKRUPTCY (AS TRUSTEE OF THE PROPERTY OF MAXWELL WILLIAM EBNER) VG 7179 of 1999