Fisher v Degnan [2022] NSWCA 202

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Fisher v Degnan [2022] NSWCA 202 Hearing dates: 18 May 2022 Date of orders: 11 October 2022 Decision date: 11 October 2022 Before: Macfarlan JA at [1]; Kirk JA at [11]; Basten AJA at [100] Decision: The appeal is dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS — Contracts requiring written evidence — Statute of frauds — Contract said to record agreement for sale of land — Family arrangement — Construction — Whether contract was an agreement for sale of land — Whether a clause headed "Recitals" was an operative provision — Whether contract a note or memorandum of agreement APPEALS — Point not taken below — Whether point taken below — Whether claim, though pleaded, proceeded on a different basis at trial Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) ss 23C and 54A Cases Cited: Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v Commonwealth of Australia (1977) 139 CLR 54; [1977] HCA 71 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 CLR 337; [1982] HCA 24 Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd (2009) 76 NSWLR 603; [2009] NSWCA 407 Lym International Pty Ltd v Marcolongo [2011] NSWCA 303; 15 BPR 29,465 Orleans Investments Pty Ltd v MindShare Communications Ltd (2009) 254 ALR 81; [2009] NSWCA 40 Schwartz v Hadid [2013] NSWCA 89 Texts Cited: K Lewison, The Interpretation of Contracts (4th ed, 2007, London, Sweet & Maxwell) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Karen Anne Fisher (First Appellant) George John Fisher (Second Appellant) Judith Anne Degnan (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: G Sirtes SC and B Le Plastrier (Appellants) G Carolan (Respondent)