Aviani v Loh (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1148

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Aviani v Loh (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1148 Hearing dates: 8 – 9, 17 (submissions) and 25 August 2022 Date of orders: 25 August 2022 Decision date: 31 August 2022 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Meek J Decision: Proceedings stayed on terms. Catchwords: FAMILY LAW – De facto relationship requirements – Whether "breakdown" of relationship – Test to be applied – "De facto financial cause" – Threshold jurisdictional requirements REMEDIES – Declaratory relief "equitable" antecedents does not define statutory relief – The character of a statutory power, such as a power to make declarations, does not become "legal" or "equitable" according to the character of its subject matter FAMILY LAW – JURISDICTION – Whether the Supreme Court has jurisdiction in "de facto financial causes" consequent upon the passing of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (Cth) and amendments to the Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) – serious doubt that Supreme Court has such jurisdiction JURISDICTION – Transfer of proceedings – ss 45(2) & 40(6) Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) – Criteria for transfer – Meaning of "interests of justice" – Relevance of cross-vesting legislation criteria – Whether transfer power is only engaged upon the hypothesis that the jurisdiction of the court to which the application is made is regularly invoked – Differences between transfer applications where no jurisdiction is conceded or is seriously doubtful on one hand or where there is a bona fide claim to jurisdiction on other hand JURISDICTION – Jurisdiction of Supreme Court to consider whether an application before it is of a nature that constitutes a cause the jurisdiction of which is allocated to another court – Generally parties cannot by consent confer jurisdiction on a court to make orders which the court lacks power to make CIVIL PROCEDURE – Stay of proceedings – De facto financial cause – Changes to legislation commencing 1 September 2021 – Proceedings heard over 2 days and judgment reserved – Uncertainty as to whether Supreme Court has jurisdiction to hear and determine or transfer to Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) ('Division 2 Court') – Proceedings stayed to allow opportunity for commencement of proceedings in the Division 2 Court LEGAL PROFESSION – Duties of practitioners to consider jurisdiction of Court and legislative changes which might impact on jurisdiction Legislation Cited: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) Australian Consumer Law Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) District Court Act 1973 (NSW) Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Family Law Regulations 1975 (Cth) Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 (Cth) Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2021 (Cth) Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Rules 2021 (Cth) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Cth) Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (NSW) Legal Profession Uniform Conduct (Barristers) Rules 2015 (NSW) Property (Relationships) Act 1984 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) Cases Cited: Abbott v Minister for Lands [1895] AC 425 Amalia Investments Ltd v Virgtel Global Networks NV (No 2) (2011) 198 FCR 248; [2011] FCA 1270 Aviani v Loh [2022] NSWSC 658 Benedict v Peake [2013] FCCA 332 BHP Billiton Ltd v Schultz (2004) 221 CLR 400; [2004] HCA 61 Boensch v Pascoe [2016] NSWCA 191; (2016) 311 FLR 101 Cirillo v Cirillo (No. 4) [2022] FedCFamC1F 208 Cobbin v Cobbin (1976) 1 Fam LN 14; FLC 90–017 Colley v Futurebrand FHA Pty Ltd (2005) 63 NSWLR 291; [2005] NSWCA 223 Davies v Richardson [2011] NSWSC 810 Dawson v Baker (1994) 120 ACTR 11 DMW v CGW (1982) 151 CLR 491; [1982] HCA 73 Eberstaller v Poulos (2014) 87 NSWLR 394; [2014] NSWCA 211 Elford v Minty (No 2) [2017] NSWSC 1643 Fairbairn v Radecki [2022] HCA 18; (2022) 400 ALR 613; 64 Fam LR 604 Fencott v Muller (1983) 152 CLR 570; [1983] HCA 12 Fisher v Madden (2002) 54 NSWLR 179; [2002] NSWCA 28 Gongsun v Paling [2020] FamCAFC 244; (2020) 61 Fam LR 488 Hazeldell Ltd v Commonwealth (1924) 34 CLR 442; [1924] HCA 36 Hinchen v Hinchen [1984] 1 NSWLR 195 James Hardie & Coy Pty Ltd v Barry (2000) 50 NSWLR 357; [2000] NSWCA 353 Kavan v Mallery [2015] FamCAFC 82; (2015) 54 Fam LR 17 Martino v Martino (1981) 7 Fam LR 613 Massalski v Riley [2021] FamCAFC 116 Nevins v Urwin [2022] FedCFamC1A 57; (2022) 64 Fam LR 640 Oceanic Sun Line Special Shipping Co Inc v Fay (1988) 165 CLR 197; [1988] HCA 32 Pelbart v Pelbart (1976) 8 ALR 550 Perry v Gao [2019] NSWSC 1022 Philip Morris Inc v Adam P Brown Male Fashions Pty Ltd (1981) 148 CLR 457; [1981] HCA 7 Prasad v Google LLC [2020] FCA 67 R v Moore; Ex parte Australian Workers' Union (1976) 11 ALR 449 Raffellini v Raffellini (1985) 10 Fam LR 33 Rana v Google Inc (2017) 254 FCR 1; [2017] FCAFC 156 Re Reinking (1976) 1 Fam LN 12 Re Wakim; Ex parte McNally (1999) 198 CLR 511; [1999] HCA 27 Resort Management Services Ltd v Noosa Shire Council [1997] 2 Qd R 291 Reynolds v Bonnici [2017] NSWSC 828 Rizeq v Western Australia (2017) 262 CLR 1; [2017] HCA 23 Shields v Williams [2019] FCA 413 Skandar (Aka Makari) v Bsm Group Pty Ltd (As Trustee For The Bsm Discretionary Trust) [2017] NSWSC 610 Song v Shi [2011] NSWSC 1207 Southern Equity Pty Ltd v Timevale Pty Ltd [2008] FCA 1395 Stott v Stott [2021] FCCA 1690 Thomson Australian Holdings Pty Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1981) 148 CLR 150; [1981] HCA 48 Voth v Manildra Flour Mills Pty Ltd (1990) 171 CLR 538; [1990] HCA 55 Warby v Warby [2001] FamCA 1469; (2001) 166 FLR 319 Young v Lalic [2006] NSWSC 18; (2006) 197 FLR 27 Yu v Wang [2021] NSWSC 1280 Zurich Australian Insurance Ltd v Atradius Credito Y Caucion SA De Seguros Y Reaseguros [2022] FCA 709 Texts Cited: Australian Family Law (LexisNexis) G Lindell, Cowen and Zine's Federal Jurisdiction in Australia (4th ed, 2016, Federation Press) J D Heydon, M J Leeming and P G Turner, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity: Doctrines & Remedies (5th ed, 2014, LexisNexis) M Leeming, Authority to Decide: The Law of Jurisdiction in Australia (2nd ed, 2020, Federation Press) Ritchie's Uniform Civil Procedure NSW Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Mary Antoinette Aviani (Plaintiff / Cross-Defendant) Jennifer Loh (Defendant / Cross-Claimant) Representation: Counsel: A Kaufmann (Plaintiff) A Murphy (Defendant) Solicitors: DPH Law Group (Plaintiff) Compass Lawyers & Associates (Defendant) File Number(s): 2021/344336