Irvine v Dowling [2021] NSWSC 119

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Irvine v Dowling [2021] NSWSC 119 Hearing dates: 18, 19, 20, 22 May, 17 June and 13 August 2020; supplementary written submissions 11 June, 12 August, 11 September, 15, 23 October and 5 November 2020. Decision date: 19 February 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity - Probate List Before: Kunc J Decision: Defendant entitled to purchase property from estate Catchwords: LAND LAW — Conveyancing — Requirements of writing — Agreement to create or dispose of interest in land — Where beneficiaries including executrix agree in writing to bid among themselves to purchase estate property instead of sale by public auction — Whether subsequent purported oral variation enforceable —Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 54A(1) Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) Cases Cited: Allied Marine Transport Ltd v Vale do Rio Doce Navegacao S.A. (Leonidas D) [1985] 1 WLR 925 Axelsen v O'Brien (1949) 80 CLR 219; [1949] HCA 18 Esdaile v Stephenson (1822) 57 ER 49 Fitzgerald v Masters (1956) 95 CLR 420; [1956] HCA 53 Green v Sommerville (1979) 141 CLR 594; [1979] HCA 60 Radoman Pty Ltd v Vexapu Pty Ltd [2008] BPR 24,903; [2008] NSWSC 8 Unisys International Services v Eastern Counties Newspapers [1991] 1 Lloyds Rep 538 Wright v Madden [1992] 1 Qd R 343 Texts Cited: J D Heydon, Heydon on Contract, Law Book Co, 2019 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Maxwell Charles James Irvine (Plaintiff and Cross-Defendant) Elizabeth Ruth Dowling (First Defendant and Cross-Claimant) Robert John Irvine (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: L Ellison SC (Plaintiff and Cross-Defendant) E Cohen (First Defendant and First Cross-Claimant) D Williams (Second Defendant and Second Cross-Claimant)