Musa v Alzreaiawi [2021] NSWCA 12

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Musa v Alzreaiawi [2021] NSWCA 12 Hearing dates: 4 February 2021 Date of orders: 19 February 2021 Decision date: 19 February 2021 Before: Bell P at [1] Macfarlan JA at [2] Gleeson JA at [3] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: EVIDENCE – standard of proof – balance of probabilities – where appellant alleged signature on transfer form was forged – whether necessary to establish "clear and cogent proof" of the fraud – application of Briginshaw v Briginshaw – Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 APPEAL – new point or issue raised on appeal not taken at trial – where neither party called attesting witness of transfer form – where allegation transferor's signature forged – where appellant sought a Jones v Dunkel inference on appeal that the missing witness' evidence would not have assisted the respondent – whether evidence could have been given which possibly could have answered the new point Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 140 Family Law Act 1974 (Cth), ss 90D, 90G, 90L Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 43 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 42.1, 51.36(2), 51.53(1) Cases Cited: Australian Guarantee Corp Ltd v de Jager [1984] VR 483 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345; [2012] HCA 17 Bale & Anor v Mills (2011) 81 NSWLR 498; [2011] NSWCA 226 Beatty v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd [1995] 2 VR 301 Bibby Financial Services Australia Pty Ltd v Sharma [2014] NSWCA 37 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 37 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1; [1986] HCA 33 Director-General Department of Community Services; Re Sophie [2008] NSWCA 250 El-Wasfi v State of New South Wales; Kassas v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWCA 322 Frazer v Walker [1967] 1 AC 569 Grgic v ANZ Banking Group Ltd (1994) 33 NSWLR 202 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd (2010) 243 CLR 361; [2011] HCA 11 Magann v The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Parramatta [2020] NSWCA 167 Metwally v University of Wollongong (No 2) [1985] HCA 28; (1985) 59 ALJR 481 Morley v Australian Securities & Investments Commission [2010] NSWCA 331; (2010) 247 FLR 140 National Commercial Banking Corp of Australia Ltd v Hedley (1984) 3 BPR 9477 Neat Holdings Pty Ltd v Karajan Holdings Pty Ltd [1992] HCA 66; (1992) 67 ALJR 170 Palmer v Dolman [2005] NSWCA 361 Payne v Parker [1976] 1 NSWLR 191 State Rail Authority of New South Wales v Codelfa Constructions Pty Ltd (1982) 150 CLR 29; [1982] HCA 51 Suttor v Gundowda Pty Ltd (1950) 81 CLR 418; [1950] HCA 35 Tabtill Pty Ltd v Creswick [2011] QCA 381 Water Board v Moustakas (1988) 180 CLR 491; [1988] HCA 12 Westpac Banking Corp Ltd v Sansom (1994) 6 BPR 13,790 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Adam Musa (Appellant) Bushra Alzreaiawi (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: Mr J J T Loofs SC / Mr R Tregenza (Appellant) Ms R N Winfield (Respondent)