Lowe v Pascoe (No 9) [2021] NSWSC 163

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lowe v Pascoe (No 9) [2021] NSWSC 163 Hearing dates: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19 August 2020 Date of orders: 4 March 2021 Decision date: 04 March 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Emmett AJA Decision: Order that: 1. The First Defendant in proceedings 2005/262284 and 2017/325815 bring in Short Minutes of Order reflecting the conclusions in these reasons. 2. The First Defendant serve the Short Minutes of Order to all other parties to proceedings 2005/262284 and 2017/325815 within 14 days of the publication of these reasons. 3. Any party to proceedings 2005/262284 and 2017/325815 who objects to the orders proposed by the First Defendant, within 14 days of receipt of the Short Minutes of Order, specify in writing the nature of the objection and the reasons for the objection. 4. Proceedings 2005/262284 and 2017/325815 be listed for directions on 15 April 2021 in order to resolve any dispute as to the orders and to make final orders. 5. Leave to apply is reserved to the parties to proceedings 2005/262284 and 2017/325815 if there are difficulties in working out notional reimbursements and distributions. Catchwords: ESTOPPEL — Anshun estoppel — decisions to which applicable — two proceedings — submitting appearance entered in earlier claim — submitting appearance invited by beneficiaries of earlier proceeding — whether failure to complain rendered subsequent proceedings an abuse of process ESTOPPEL — res judicata — issue estoppel — earlier proceeding concerning errant fiduciary — numerous judgments and findings — fiduciary misappropriated partnership monies — earlier proceeding did not result in grant of relief to claimant in new proceeding — findings about knowledge misappropriations relevant — ambit of matters estopped from being denied in new proceedings EQUITY — defences — laches and acquiescence — Knowledge of ability to bring claim — circumstances rendering delay unconscionable for account of profits EQUITY — defences — statutes of limitation — application by analogy — whether analogous application unconscionable in the circumstances RESTITUTION — restitution for wrongdoing — equity — constructive trust — account of profits — allowances for errant fiduciary's efforts — calculation of accounts with mathematical exactitude impossible — nature of benefit obtained by occupation of premises acquired with misappropriated funds — adjustments where beneficiaries received estate distributions comprising misappropriated funds Legislation Cited: Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), s 15, 47 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), s 61 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 42 Cases Cited: Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 604; [1988] HCA 16 Black v S Freedman & Co (1910) 12 CLR 105; [1910] HCA 58 Byrnes v Kendle (2011) 243 CLR 253; [2011] HCA 26 Dart Industries Inc v Decor Corporation Pty Ltd (1992) 179 CLR 101; [1993] HCA 54 Erlanger v New Sombrero Phosphate Company (1878) 3 App Cas 1218 Farah Construction Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Geoffrey Alan Lowe v Scott Pascoe [2012] NSWSC 151 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101; [1999] HCA 10 Grimaldi v Chameleon Mining NL (No 2) (2012) 200 FCR 296; [2012] FCAFC 6 Harris v Digital Pulse Pty Ltd (2003) 56 NSWLR 298; [2003] NSWCA 10 Hospital Products Ltd v United States Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41; [1984] HCA 64 Lowe v Pascoe [2010] NSWSC 388 Lowe v Pascoe [2012] NSWSC 740 Lowe v Pascoe (No 2) [2012] NSWSC 885 Lowe v Pascoe (No 3) [2011] NSWSC 192 Lowe v Pascoe (No 3) [2012] NSWSC 907 Lowe v Pascoe (No 4) [2012] NSWSC 1493 Lowe v Pascoe (No 6) (Supreme Court (NSW), Gzell J, 13 March 2013, unrep) Lowe v Pascoe (No 7) [2018] NSWSC 333 Lowe v Pascoe (Supreme Court (NSW), Smart AJ, 25 June 2010, unrep) Nadinic v Drinkwater (2017) 94 NSWLR 518; [2017] NSWCA 114 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589; [1981] HCA 45 Robb Evans of Robb Evans & Associates v European Bank Ltd (2004) 61 NSWLR 75; [2004] NSWCA 82 Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317; [2014] NSWCA 462 Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317; [2014] NSWCA 462 Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317; [2014] NSWCA 462 Wallersteiner v Moir (No 2) [1975] QB 373; 2 WLR 389 Warman International Ltd v Dwyer (1995) 182 CLR 544; [1995] HCA 18 Westdeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale v Islington London Borough Council [1996] AC 669; [1996] UKHL 12 Williams v Central Bank of Nigeria [2014] AC 1189; [2014] UKSC 10 Wong v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2004) 146 FCR 10; [2004] FCAFC 242 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Proceedings 2005/262284 Geoffrey Alan Lowe (First Plaintiff) Mary Lowe (Second Plaintiff) Scott Pascoe as Trustee of the Estate of the late Kut Sze Tu (First Defendant) Margaret Sze Tu (Second Defendant) Helen Sze Tu (Third Defendant) Janet McNamara (Fourth Defendant) Shiu Shing (Sunly) (Fifth Defendant) Shie How (Gordon) Sze Tu (Sixth Defendant) Shiu Shing (Sunly) Sze Tu as Administrator of the Estate of the late FC Chow (Seventh Defendant)