Erceg v Volonakis [2020] NSWCA 253

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Erceg v Volonakis [2020] NSWCA 253 Hearing dates: 28 August 2020 Date of orders: 15 October 2020 Decision date: 15 October 2020 Before: Bell P at [1]; Gleeson JA at [2]; Payne JA at [14]. Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed with costs; (2) Cross-appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CIVIL PROCEDURE – debt recovery – loans – dispute arising over two undocumented loans between friends – whether primary judge erred in finding that the appellant authorised the appellant's now-estranged husband to jointly borrow from respondents JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – interest – pre-judgment interest – rate applicable – whether primary judge erred in finding that the appellant not liable to pay interest on loan at rate of 48% per annum Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 100 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 81 Supreme Court Act 1935 (SA), 30C Cases Cited: Associated Midland Corporation Ltd v Bank of New South Wales [1983] 1 NSWLR 533 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345; [2012] HCA 17 Bannatyne v MacIver [1906] 1 KB 103 Bonette v Woolworths Ltd (1937) 37 SR (NSW) 142 City Bank of Sydney v McLaughlin (1909) 9 CLR 615; [1909] HCA 78 Clarke v Abou-Samra [2010] SASC 205 Falcke v Scottish Imperial Insurance Co (1886) 34 ChD 234 Hecimovic v Schembri (NSW Sup Ct, 28 June 1974, Holland J, unreported) Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Lumbers v W Cook Builders Pty Ltd (in liq) (2008) 232 CLR 635; [2008] HCA 27 O3 Capital Pty Ltd v WY Properties Pty Ltd (2016) 49 WAR 517; [2016] WASCA 82 Re Cleadon Trust Limited [1939] Ch 286 Volonakis & Ors v Erceg & Anor [2019] NSWSC 1875 Volonakis v Erceg (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 371 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ivancica Erceg (Appellant) Patricia Volonakis (First Respondent) Michael Volonakis (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J M Ireland (Appellant) S A Lawrence with A R Jordan (Respondents) Solicitors: McGirr Lawyers (Appellant) Korn MacDougall (Respondents) File Number(s): 2020/147954 Publication restriction: Nil. Decision under appeal Court or tribunal: Supreme Court of New South Wales Jurisdiction: Equity Citation: [2019] NSWSC 1875; [2020] NSWSC 371 Date of Decision: 20 December 2019 Before: Hallen J File Number(s): 2017/387961