Turner v O’Bryan-Turner [2022] NSWCA 23

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Turner v O'Bryan-Turner [2022] NSWCA 23 Hearing dates: 25 and 26 November 2021 Date of orders: 24 February 2022 Decision date: 24 February 2022 Before: Meagher JA at [1]; White JA at [2]; McCallum JA at [158] Decision: Order that within seven days the parties file, and provide copies to the associate of the presiding judge, either agreed short minutes of order in accordance with these reasons, or, failing agreement, their respective proposed short minutes with a short submission addressing such differences as there may be between the orders proposed by the parties. Catchwords: EQUITY — Trusts and trustees — Constructive trusts — Rule in Barnes v Addy — Whether the in personam exception to indefeasibility applies to the first and second limb of Barnes v Addy EQUITY – Breach of fiduciary duty – where fiduciary held interest transferred to herself on constructive trust for principal – assessment of equitable compensation where fiduciary transferred assets to herself and sons for no consideration LAND LAW — Torrens title — Exceptions to indefeasibility — Rights in personam Legislation Cited: Powers of Attorney Act 2003 (NSW), s 11 Probate and Administration Act 1898 (NSW), s 46C and Pt 1 of Sch 3 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 42 Succession Act 2006 (NSW), Ch 3 Transfer of Land Act 1958 (Vic) Cases Cited: Ancient Order of Foresters in Victoria Friendly Society Ltd v LifePlan Australia for Friendly Society Ltd (2018) 265 CLR 1; [2018] HCA 43 Attorney-General for Hong Kong v Reid [1994] 1 AC 324 Baden v Société Générale pour Favoriser le Developpement du Commerce et de l'Industrie en France [1993] 1 WLR 509 Bank of Credit and Commerce International (Overseas) Ltd v Akindele [2001] Ch 437 Barnes v Addy (1874) LR 9 Ch App 244 Belmont Finance Corporation Ltd v Williams Furniture Limited (No 2) [1980] 1 All ER 393 Black v Freedman (1910) 12 CLR 105 Bofinger v Kingsway Group Ltd (2009) 239 CLR 269 Consul Development Pty Ltd v DPC Estates Pty Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 373 DPC Estates Pty Ltd v Grey and Consul Development Pty Ltd [1974] 1 NSWLR 443 El Ajou v Dollar Land Holdings plc [1994] 2 All ER 685 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Frazer v Walker [1967] 1 AC 569 Furs Ltd v Tomkies (1936) 54 CLR 583 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101; [1999] HCA 10 Grimaldi v Chameleon Mining NL (No 2) (2012) 287 ALR 22; [2012] FCAFC 6 Hasler v Singtel Optus Ltd (2014) 87 NSWLR 609; [2014] NSWCA 266 Hospital Products Ltd v United Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41; [1984] HCA 64 Kalls Enterprises Pty Ltd (in liq) v Baloglow [2007] NSWCA 191; (2007) 63 ACSR 557 Keith Henry & Co Pty Ltd v Stuart Walker & Co Pty Ltd (1958) 100 CLR 342 LHK Nominees Pty Ltd v Kenworthy (2002) 26 WAR 517; [2002] WASCA 291 Macquarie Bank Ltd v Sixty-Fourth Throne Pty Ltd [1998] 3 VR 133 McFee v Reilly [2018] NSWCA 322 Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583; [1985] HCA 78 Re Montagu's Settlement Trust [1987] Ch 264 Royal Brunei Airlines Sdn Bhd v Tan Kok Ming [1995] UKPC 4; [1995] 2 AC 378 Super 1000 Pty Ltd & Ors v Pacific General Securities Ltd & Ors [2008] NSWSC 1222; (2008) 221 FLR 427 Sze Tu v Lowe (2014) 89 NSWLR 317; [2014] NSWCA 462 Turner v O'Bryan-Turner (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 101 Turner v O'Bryan-Turner (No 3) [2021] NSWSC 338 Turner v O'Bryan-Turner [2021] NSWSC 5 Westpac Banking Corporation v The Bell Group Ltd (in liq) No 3 (2012) 44 WAR 1; [2012] WASCA 157 White City Tennis Club Ltd v John Alexander's Clubs Pty Ltd & Anor [2009] NSWCA 114 Worth v Clasohm (1952) 86 CLR 439 Texts Cited: Atkin, 'Knowing Receipt' Following Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 29 Sydney Law Review 713 at 721 Finn PD (ed), "Constructive Trusts", Essays in Equity (1985) Law Book Co Harding, "Barnes v Addy Claims and the Indefeasibility of Torrens Title" (2007) 31 Melbourne University Law Review 343 Conaglen and Goymour, "Knowing Receipt and Registered Land" in Constructive and Resulting Trusts ed Mitchell, Hart Publishing, 2010 Heydon and Leeming, Jacobs' Law of Trusts in Australia 8 Ed, LexisNexis Category: Principal judgment Parties: Owen John Turner by his tutor Nicholas John Turner (First Appellant) Allawah Pastoral Pty Ltd (Second Appellant) Nicholas John Turner (Third Appellant) Angelena May O'Bryan in her capacity as the executrix of the estate of Wendy Joan O'Bryan-Turner (First Respondent) David John Turner (Second Respondent) Karl John Turner (Third Respondent) Registrar General of New South Wales (Fourth Respondent) Owen John Turner by his tutor Angelena May O'Bryan (Fifth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Evans QC with J Svehla (Appellants) D Pritchard SC with A Macauley (Respondents)