Yu v Yu [2020] NSWSC 1904

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Yu v Yu [2020] NSWSC 1904 Hearing dates: 7 and 8 December 2020 Date of orders: 22 December 2020 Decision date: 22 December 2020 Jurisdiction: Equity - Family Provision List Before: Williams J Decision: Declaration made that the Principal Heads of Agreement and the Collateral Heads of Agreement entered into by the plaintiff/cross-defendant, defendant/first cross-claimant and second cross-claimant on 10 April 2019 are binding. Consequential order made for the enforcement of those agreements. Catchwords: EQUITY – equitable remedies – vitiating factors – common mistake – discussion of the existence and scope of jurisdiction to set aside contracts for common mistake in equity – whether parties to an agreement were operating under a common misapprehension that was fundamental to the agreement – no fundamental misapprehension JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – res judicata and cause of action estoppel – no issue of principle CONTRACTS – formation – illegality – no issue of principle CONTRACTS – terms – implied terms – no issue of principle CONTRACTS – construction – no issue of principle Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 73 and 91 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 136 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), s 81A Cases Cited: Australia Estates Pty Ltd v Cairns City Council [2005] QCA 328 Bell v Lever Brothers Ltd [1932] AC 161 Clayton v Bant (2020) 95 ALJR 34; [2020] HCA 44 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of NSW (1982) 149 CLR 337 Estate of Baissari; Chehade v El Khoury [2020] NSWSC 563 Estate of Kouvakas; Lucas v Konakas [2014] NSWSC 786 Gorczynski v Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd [2016] NSWCA 170 Great Peace Shipping Ltd v Tsavliris Salvage (International) Ltd [2003] QB 679 Hawcroft General Trading Co Pty Ltd v Hawcroft [2017] NSWCA 91 Hawcroft v Hawcroft General Trading Co Pty Ltd (2016) 18 BPR 35,863; [2016] NSWSC 555 Macquarie Bank Ltd v National Mutual Life Association of Australia Ltd (1996) 40 NSWLR 543 Macquarie International Health Clinic Pty Ltd v Sydney Local Health District (2020) 19 BPR 40,463; [2020] NSWCA 161 McRae v Commonwealth Disposals Commission (1951) 84 CLR 377 Rees v Rees [2016] VSC 452 Schwartz Family Co Pty Ltd v Capitol Carpets Pty Ltd [2019] NSWSC 238 Solle v Butcher [1950] 1 KB 671 Svanosio v McNamara (1956) 96 CLR 186 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 Westpork Pty Ltd v Bio-Organics Pty Ltd [2018] WASC 291 Zetta Jet Pte Ltd v Ship 'Dragon Pearl' (No 2) (2018) 265 FCR 290; [2018] FCAFC 132 Texts Cited: J D Heydon, M J Leeming and P G Turner, Meagher Gummow & Lehane's Equity: Doctrines & Remedies (5th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2015) K R Handley, Spencer Bower and Handley: Res Judicata (5th ed, LexisNexis Butterworths, 2019) Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Kai Yu (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant/Respondent) Ying-Hsun Yu (First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant/First Applicant) Attorney General of New South Wales (Second Defendant) Jau-Shinne Loue (Second Cross-Claimant/Second Applicant) Representation: Counsel: Mr R Stoyef, solicitor (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendant/Respondent) Ms N Obrart (First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant/First Applicant and Second Cross-Claimant/Second Applicant) Dr C Mantziaris (Second Defendant)