Kordovoulos & Anor v Dixon-Hughes & Ors [2021] NSWSC 722

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Kordovoulos & Anor v Dixon-Hughes & Ors [2021] NSWSC 722 Hearing dates: 1 February, 11 and 12 March, 21 May 2021 Decision date: 18 June 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity - Expedition List Before: Sackar J Decision: See paras [276]-[279] Catchwords: EQUITY — Trusts and trustees — Resulting trusts — Constructive trusts — whether monies, the proceeds of the sale of a home, were given as a gift or to hold on trust for an unspecific indefinite period RESTITUTION — Nature of restitutionary liability — Unjust enrichment — no operation of unjust enrichment in absence of specific pleaded case entitling restitution Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Cases Cited: Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1988) 164 CLR 662 Australian Financial Services and Leasing Pty Ltd v Hills Industries (2014) 253 CLR 560 Barnes v Addy (1874) LR 9 Ch App 244 Bofinger v Kingsway Group Ltd (2009) 239 CLR 269 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Calokerinos (Executor of Estate of Sclavos v Yesilhat) [2017] NSWSC 666 Colombini v De Berigny [2021] NSWSC 374 Croton v The Queen (1967) 117 CLR 326 David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353 E Co v Q [2018] NSWSC 442 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Haxton (2012) 246 CLR 498 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89 Friend v Booker (2009) 239 CLR 129 George v Howard (1819) 7 Price 646; 146 ER 1089 Gray v Gray (2004) 12 BPR 22,755; [2004] NSWCA 408 Heydon v The Perpetual Executors, Trustees and Agency Company (WA) Limited (1930) 45 CLR 111 Joaquin v Hall [1976] VR 788 Kelly v Thorn; Monteleone v Thorn (No 8) [2021] NSWSC 118 Lumbers v W Cook Builders Pty Ltd (in liq) (2008) 232 CLR 635 Mann v Paterson Constructions Pty Ltd (2019) 267 CLR 560; [2019] HCA 32 McGuirk v University of New South Wales [2009] NSWSC 1424 McInnes v Rheem Australia Pty ltd [2021] NSWCA 89 Pavey v Matthews Pty Ltd v Paul (1987) 162 CLR 221 Say-Dee Pty Ltd v Farah Constructions [2005] NSWCA 309 Schmierer v Taouk (2004) 207 ALR 301; [2004] NSWSC 345 Seldon v Davidson [1968] 1 WLR 1083; [1968] 2 All ER 755 Superannuation & Corporate Services Pty Ltd v Turner [2020] NSWCA 246 Voce v Deloraine [2012] NSWSC 1187 Water Board v Moustakas (1988) 180 CLR 491 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon (2003) 200 ALR 447; [2003] HCA 48 White v Overland [2001] FCA 1333 Xiang bht Cao v Tong [2021] NSWSC 44 Texts Cited: Barker, Kit, 'Unjust Enrichment in Australia: What Is(n't) It? Implications for Legal Reasoning and Practice' (2020) 43(3) Melbourne University Law Review 903 Godefroi, The Law of Trusts and Trustees (4th ed, 1915, Stevens) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Vicki Kordovoulos (first plaintiff) The Estate of John Kordovoulos (second plaintiff) Ramonda Dixon-Hughes (first defendant) The Estate of George Kordovoulos (second defendant) The Estate of Yvette Kordovoulos (third defendant) Redmond Hale Simpson (fourth defendant) Representation: Counsel: D Eardley (plaintiff) M Condon SC (first defendant) B De Buse (third defendant)