Kramer v Stone [2023] NSWCA 270

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Kramer v Stone [2023] NSWCA 270 Hearing dates: 4 September 2023 Date of orders: 10 November 2023 Decision date: 10 November 2023 Before: Ward P at [1]; Leeming JA at [257]; Kirk JA at [296] Decision: 1. Dismiss the appellants' notice of motion filed 24 July 2024 with costs. 2. Dismiss the appeal with costs. Catchwords: EQUITY – Proprietary estoppel – Estoppel by encouragement – Knowledge of detriment – Where the deceased promised to leave the property to a sharefarmer who had worked on the property for approximately 40 years – Where the deceased's will did not do so – Where the sharefarmer continued to share farm on the property in reliance on the representation – Whether the deceased needed to have actual knowledge of detrimental reliance on the representation for estoppel to be established PROCEDURE – appeals – further evidence – evidence adduced at subsequent hearing before final orders made – whether such evidence "further evidence" for purposes of Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A – whether appellant should be permitted to rely on such evidence following first hearing to impugn findings made after first hearing Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Commonwealth Constitution, s 73 Evidence Act 1995 (NSW), s 136 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A, 101 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, rr 36.16, 51.51 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules (Amendment No 15) 2007 (NSW) Cases Cited: Air Tahiti Nui Pty Ltd v McKenzie (2009) 77 NSWLR 299; [2009] NSWCA 429 Akins v National Australia Bank (1994) 34 NSWLR 155 Ambridge Investments Pty Ltd (in liq) (rec apptd) v Baker [2010] VSC 59 Austotel Pty Ltd v Franklins Self-Serve Pty Ltd (1989) 16 NSWLR 582 Australian Securities Commission v Marlborough Gold Mines Ltd (1993) 177 CLR 485; [1993] HCA 15 Baden v Societe Generale pour Favouriser le Developpement du Commerce et de l'Industrie en France SA [1992] 4 All ER 161 Barnes v Addy (1874) LR 9 Ch App 244 Barnes v Alderton [2008] NSWSC 107 Bartier Perry Pty Ltd v Paltos [2021] NSWCA 158 BP v State of New South Wales [2019] NSWCA 223 Carter v Brine [2015] SASC 204 Cobbe v Yeoman's Row Management Ltd [2008] 1 WLR 1752; 4 All ER 713 Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 447; [1983] HCA 14 Commonwealth of Australia v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394; [1990] HCA 39 Crown Melbourne Ltd v Cosmopolitan Hotel (Vic) Pty Ltd (2016) 260 CLR 1; [2016] HCA 26 Delaforce v Simpson-Cook (2010) 78 NSWLR 483; [2010] NSWCA 84 DHJPM Pty Ltd v Blackthorn Resources Ltd (2011) 83 NSWLR 728; [2011] NSWCA 348 Dillwyn v Llewelyn (1862) 4 De GF & J 517; 45 ER 1285 Donis v Donis (2007) 19 VR 577; [2007] VSCA 89 Doueihi v Construction Technologies Australia Pty Ltd (2016) 92 NSWLR 247; [2016] NSWCA 105 Driclad Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1968) 121 CLR 45; [1968] HCA 91 E Co v Q [2018] NSWSC 442 Evans v Evans [2011] NSWCA 92 Farah Constructions v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Flinn v Flinn [1993] 3 VR 712; [1999] VSCA 109 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Galaxidis v Galaxidis [2004] NSWCA 111 Gillett v Holt [2001] Ch 210 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101; [1999] HCA 10 Grundt v Great Boulder Pty Gold Mines Ltd (1937) 59 CLR 641; [1937] HCA 58 Hopgood v Brown [1955] 1 WLR 213 In re Basham, decd [1986] 1 WLR 1498 Jennings v Rice [2003] 1 P&CR 8 Leading Synthetics Pty Ltd v Adroit Insurance Group Pty Ltd [2011] VSC 467 Lloyds Bank Plc v Rosset [1991] 1 AC 107 McNab v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) (2021) 106 NSWLR 430; [2021] NSWCA 298 Miller Heiman Pty Ltd v Sales Principles Pty Ltd (2017) 94 NSWLR 500; [2017] NSWCA 106 Milling v Hardie [2014] NSWCA 163 Mineralogy Pty Ltd v Sino Iron Pty Ltd (No 6) [2015] FCA 825; (2015) 329 ALR 1 New Zealand Pelt Export Co Ltd v Trade Indemnity New Zealand Ltd [2004] VSCA 163 Olsson v Dyson (1969) 120 CLR 365; [1969] HCA 3 Pham v Gall (2020) 102 NSWLR 269; [2020] NSWCA 116 Plimmer v The Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of the City of Wellington [1884] 9 AC 699 Priestley v Priestley [2016] NSWSC 1096 Priestley v Priestley [2017] NSWCA 155 Q v E Co [2020] NSWCA 220; (2020) 383 ALR 469 Ramsden v Dyson (1866) LR 1 HL 129 Riches v Hogben (1985) 2 QR 292 Sidhu v Van Dyke (2014) 251 CLR 505; [2014] HCA 19 Silovi Pty Ltd v Barbaro (1988) 13 NSWLR 466 Sledmore v Dalby [1996] 72 P&CR 196 Steria Ltd v Hutchison [2007] ICR 445 Stone v Kramer (No 2) [2022] NSWSC 1716 Stone v Kramer [2021] NSWSC 1456 Stone v Stone [2014] NSWSC 1655 Sullivan v Sullivan [2006] NSWCA 312 Taylor's Fashions Ltd v Liverpool Victoria Trustees Co Ltd [1982] 1 QB 133 Thompson v Palmer (1933) 49 CLR 507; [1933] HCA 61 Thorner v Major [2009] 1 WLR 776 Trentelman v The Owners – Strata Plan No 76700 (2021) 106 NSWLR 227; [2021] NSWCA 242 Trippe Investments Pty Ltd v Henderson Investments Pty Ltd (1992) 106 FLR 214 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387; [1998] HCA 7 Willmott v Barber (1880) 15 Ch D 96 Texts Cited: A Robertson, "Knowledge and Unconscionability in a Unified Estoppel", (1998) 24(1) Monash University Law Review 115 Heydon JD, Heydon on Contract: The General Part (Thomson Reuters, 2019) J Hamilton, G Lindsay and C Webster, New South Wales Civil Procedure Handbook 2023 (13th ed, 2023, Thomson Reuters) K Handley, "Recent Cases" (2017) 91 Australian Law Journal 812 K Handley, Estoppel by Conduct and Election (2nd ed 2016, Sweet & Maxwell) Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity: Doctrine & Remedies (5th ed, 2014 Lexis Nexis Butterworths) W Cornish et al, The Oxford History of the Laws of England (2010, Oxford University Press), Vol XI Category: Principal judgment Parties: Hilary Lorraine Kramer (First Appellant) Jaime Ferrer (Second Appellant) David Lindsay Stone (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: R Wilson SC with M McGirr (Appellants) L Ellison SC with H Bennett (Respondent)