Binetter v Binetter [2022] NSWCA 169

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Binetter v Binetter [2022] NSWCA 169 Hearing dates: 8 August 2022 Date of orders: 1 September 2022 Decision date: 01 September 2022 Before: White JA at [1]; Mitchelmore JA at [2]; Basten AJA at [3] Decision: (1) Dismiss the appeal from the judgment and orders made in the Common Law Division. (2) Order that the appellant pay the respondent's costs in this Court. Catchwords: LIMITATION OF ACTIONS – debt – limitation period – suspension of limitation period – lender under relevant disability – mental impairment – whether impairment rendered lender incapable of, or substantially impeded in, managing her affairs in relation to initiating proceedings to recover loan – whether enduring powers of attorney and enduring guardianship prevent finding of disability – Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 11, 52 EVIDENCE – documentary evidence – business records – medical reports – records of treating health professionals – admissibility – whether other party can require party tendering record to call expert for cross-examination – Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 31.29 EVIDENCE – evidence of disability – solicitor for deceased lender who took instructions at material time not called – whether Jones v Dunkel inference available – whether solicitor-client privilege justified absence Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 69 Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 11, 14, 52, 63, 69 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 31.17, 31.18, 31.28, 31.29; Pt 31, Div 2 Cases Cited: Guthrie v Spence (2009) 78 NSWLR 225; [2009] NSWCA 369 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Kotulski v Attard [1981] 1 NSWLR 115 Masterman-Lister v Brutton & Co [2002] EWCA Civ 1889; [2003] 1 WLR 1511; [2003] 3 All ER 162 Olive v Johnstone [2006] NSWCA 21 State of New South Wales v Harlum [2007] NSWCA 120 Texts Cited: J Wilterdink, "Mental status scales to evaluate cognition" (2020) UpToDate D Zheng et al, "Longitudinal Associations Between Visual Impairment and Cognitive Functioning" (2018) 136(9) JAMA Ophthalmol 989 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Steven Binetter (Appellant) Ronald Binetter (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: D B Studdy SC / C D Freeman (Appellant) G Sirtes SC / C P O'Neill (Respondent)