Stokes v Toyne [2023] NSWCA 59

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Stokes v Toyne [2023] NSWCA 59 Hearing dates: 10 February 2023 Decision date: 04 April 2023 Before: Ward P at [1], Adamson JA at [13], Simpson AJA at [121] Decision: (1) Grant leave to appeal. (2) Allow the appeal. (3) Set aside the orders of Russell SC DCJ made on 26 July 2022 dismissing the applicant's notice of motion and ordering the applicant to pay the respondent's costs of the notice of motion. (4) In lieu thereof, permanently stay the proceedings in the Court below. (5) Reserve costs. Catchwords: PROCEDURE — Contracts for sale of land — terminated by vendor — Supreme Court proceedings seeking relief against forfeiture of deposits — later District Court proceedings by vendor seeking damages for contamination of land with asbestos in circumstances where vendor did not initially bring cross-claim — whether District Court proceedings estopped by Anshun estoppel — whether District Court proceedings should be stayed for abuse of process EVIDENCE — denial of procedural fairness on basis of refusal to grant applicant leave to cross-examine vendor in Supreme Court proceedings — whether primary judge in Supreme Court proceedings erred in referring to respondent's evidence as "unchallenged" Legislation Cited: Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth) s 40 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 55(2A) Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), s 37M Cases Cited: Angeleska (known as Slaveska) v State of Victoria (2015) 49 VR 131; [2015] VSCA 140 AON Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australian National University (2009) 239 CLR 175; [2009] HCA 27 Batistatos v Roads & Traffic Authority of New South Wales (2006) 226 CLR 256; [2006] HCA 27 Bomanite Pty Ltd v Slatex Corporation Aust Pty Ltd (1991) 32 FCR 379 Bryant v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1995) 57 FCR 287 Champerslife Pty Ltd v Manojlovski (2010) 75 NSWLR 245; [2010] NSWCA 33 Champerslife Pty Ltd v Manojlovski [2012] NSWCA 33 Charben Haulage Pty Ltd (in liq) v Beilby (t/as Costello) [2010] NSWSC 510 Clayton v Bant (2020) 272 CLR 1; [2020] HCA 44 Coulton v Holcombe (1986) 162 CLR 1; [1986] HCA 33 Harman v Secretary of State for the Home Department [1983] 1 AC 280 Havyn Pty Ltd v Webster [2005] NSWCA 182; (2005) 12 BPR 22,837 Henderson v Henderson (1843) 3 Hare 100; 67 ER 313 Herron v McGregor (1986) 6 NSWLR 246 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Hunter v Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police [1982] AC 529 Jago v District Court of New South Wales (1989) 168 CLR 23; [1989] HCA 46 Johnson v Gore Wood & Co [2002] 2 AC 1 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Ling v Commonwealth (1996) 68 FCR 180 Lucas & Tait (Investments) Pty Ltd v Victoria Securities Ltd [1973] 2 NSWLR 268 Moubarak by his tutor Coorey v Holt [2019] NSWCA 102 Oceanic Sun Line Special Shipping Company Inc v Fay (1988) 165 CLR 197; [1988] HCA 32 Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589; [1981] HCA 45 Pratt v Hawkins (1991) 32 NSWLR 319 R v Birks (1990) 19 NSWLR 677 R v Carroll (2002) 213 CLR 635; [2002] HCA 55 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; Ex parte Lam (2003) 214 CLR 1; [2003] HCA 6 Reichel v Magrath (1889) 14 App Cas 665 Robinson v Deep Investments Pty Ltd [2018] FCAFC 232; (2018) 364 ALR 305 Rogers v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 251; [1994] HCA 42 Stokes v Toyne [2019] NSWSC 274 Stokes v Toyne [2021] NSWSC 1049 Tanning Research Laboratories Inc v O'Brien (1990) 169 CLR 332; [1990] HCA 8 Terry v Permanent Trustee Australia Ltd (1995) 6 BPR 14 The Council of Trinity Grammar School v Anderson [2019] NSWCA 292 The Trustees of the Roman Catholic Church for the Diocese of Lismore v GLJ [2022] NSWCA 78 Timbercorp Finance Pty Ltd (in liq) v Collins (2016) 259 CLR 212; [2016] HCA 44 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 Toyne v Stokes [2021] FedCFamC2G 148 Toyne v Stokes [2022] NSWDC 292 Trawl Industries of Australia Pty Ltd (In Liq) v Effem Foods Pty Ltd (1992) 36 FCR 406 Trawl Industries of Australia Pty Ltd v Effem Foods Pty Ltd trading as "Uncle Bens of Australia" (1992) 27 NSWLR 326 UBS AG v Tyne as trustee of the Argot Trust (2018) 265 CLR 77; [2018] HCA 45 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378; [1993] HCA 77 Webster v Havyn Pty Ltd [2004] NSWSC 227; (2004) 12 BPR 22,119 Williams v Spautz (1992) 174 CLR 509; [1992] HCA 34 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nicholas Arthur Stokes (Applicant) Molly Harris Toyne (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: A Berger KC / N Oram (Applicant) M Castle / H D Bailey (Respondent)