Balagiannis v Balagiannis [2022] NSWCA 18

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Balagiannis v Balagiannis [2022] NSWCA 18 Hearing dates: 28 October 2021 Date of orders: 22 February 2022 Decision date: 22 February 2022 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; Brereton JA at [109]; McCallum JA at [115] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – unjust contracts – Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW) – where first respondent assigned $18.5 million debt to daughters for no consideration – where pressed to do so to avoid potential claims to asset – where demand for repayment of debt would require sale of some of assignor's substantial business assets – where assignment has disadvantageous legal and practical impacts on assignor – where assignor not understand significance of assignment on legal rights – where assignor denied opportunity to take independent advice – whether primary judge erred in finding Deed of Assignment unjust – whether error in considering consequences of contract for person other than party claiming relief under Act Legislation Cited: Contracts Review Act 1980 (NSW), ss 7, 9, 14 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), s 13(1)(a) Cases Cited: Antonovic v Volker (1986) 7 NSWLR 151 Beneficial Finance Corporation Limited v Karavas (1991) 23 NSWLR 256 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Paciocco v Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (2015) 236 FCR 199; [2015] FCAFC 50 Perpetual Trustee Company Limited v Khoshaba [2006] NSWCA 41 Provident Capital Ltd v Papa (2013) 84 NSWLR 231; [2013] NSWCA 36 Shannon v Permanent Custodians Limited [2020] WASCA 198 Superannuation and Corporate Services Pty Ltd v Turner [2020] NSWCA 246 Toscano v Holland Securities Pty Ltd (1985) 1 NSWLR 145 West v AGC (Advances) Ltd (1986) 5 NSWLR 610 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mary Balagiannis (First Appellant) Angeliki Balagiannis (also known as Angelique Balagiannis) (Second Appellant) Nicolas Balagiannis (First Respondent) Reserve Hotels Pty Limited (Second Respondent) Sydney Hotel Management Pty Limited (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: B Walker SC with A Russoniello (Appellants) I Jackman SC with D Birch (Respondents)