Sheppard v Smith [2021] NSWSC 1207

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sheppard v Smith [2021] NSWSC 1207 Hearing dates: 26, 27, 28 July 2021 Date of orders: 23 September 2021 Decision date: 23 September 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity - Real Property List Before: Parker J Decision: See [225]-[227] Catchwords: LAND LAW – easements – application for extinguishment of right of way – whether easement abandoned – "deeming provision" in Conveyancing Act, s 89(1A) – relevance of conduct of predecessors in title – exercise of discretion – whether easement has become obsolete – whether easement would impede the reasonable user of the plaintiffs' land without securing practical benefit to the defendants – whether there would be substantial injury to the defendants if extinguishment granted Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), ss 88, 88B, 88K, 89 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 79 Law of Property Act 1925 (UK), s 84 Property Legislation Amendment (Easements) Act 1995 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), ss 14, 28T, 28V, 46, 47, 49 Real Property and Conveyancing Legislation Amendment Act 2009 (NSW) Transfer of Land Act 1958 (Vic), s 73 Cases Cited: Ashoil Holdings Pty Ltd v Fassoulas [2005] NSWCA 80 Ashoil Pty Ltd v Fassoulas [2004] NSWSC 554 Breskvar v Wall (1971) 126 CLR 376 Chiu v Healey [2003] NSWSC 857 Couche v Adams [2002] NSWSC 27 Davey v Colovic [2021] SASC 7 Deguisa v Lynn [2020] HCA 39 Destri Enterprises Pty Ltd v Maxwell [2012] NSWSC 295 Durian (Holdings) Pty Ltd v Cavacourt Pty Ltd [2000] NSWCA 28 Effeney v Millar Investments Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 708 Frasers Lorne Pty Ltd v Burke [2008] NSWSC 743 Frazer v Walker [1967] 1 AC 569 Gotobed v Pridmore (Court of Appeal (England and Wales), 16 December 1970, unrep) Grill v Hockey (1991) 5 BPR 11,421 Hardy v Sidoti [2020] NSWSC 1057 Keewatin Power Co Ltd v Lake of the Woods Milling Co Ltd [1930] AC 640 Laris v Lin (No 2) [2016] NSWSC 560 Lolakis v Konitsas [2002] NSWSC 889 Long v Michie [2003] NSWSC 233 Pieper v Edwards [1982] 1 NSWLR 336 Proprietors Strata Plan No 9,968 v Proprietors Strata Plan No 11,173 [1979] 2 NSWLR 605 Re Bolton; Ex parte Beane (1987) 162 CLR 514 Re Mason and the Conveyancing Act (1960) 78 WN (NSW) 925 Re Robinson [1972] VR 278 Re Rose Bay Bowling and Recreation Club Ltd (1935) 52 WN (NSW) 77 Riley v Penttila [1974] VR 547 Rosedale Farm (NSW) Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 1321 Shelmerdine v Ringen Pty Ltd [1993] 1 VR 315 Treweeke v 36 Wolseley Road Pty Ltd (1973) 128 CLR 274 Tujilo v Watts [2005] NSWSC 209 Webster v Strong [1926] VLR 509 Westfield Management Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd (2007) 233 CLR 528 Williams v State Transit Authority of NSW [2004] NSWCA 179 Williams v Usherwood (1983) 45 P & CR 235 Wolfe v Freijah's Holdings Pty Ltd [1988] VR 1017 Yip v Frolich (2003) 86 SASR 162 Texts Cited: Edgeworth, B, Butt's Land Law (7th ed, 2017, Lawbook Company) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Dean Frederick Sheppard (First Plaintiff) Meredith Jane Chapman (Second Plaintiff) Dean Clayton Smith (First Defendant) Emma Jane Munro (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: N Hammond (Plaintiffs) S Fendekian/F McNeil (Defendants)