Teo & Anor v Twyford bht Cunningham [2023] NSWSC 1470

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Teo & Anor v Twyford bht Cunningham [2023] NSWSC 1470 Hearing dates: 29 and 30 September and 18 November 2022 Date of orders: 30 November 2023 Decision date: 30 November 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Henry J Decision: Application for declaration that contract is valid and enforceable and order for specific performance dismissed with costs. Catchwords: LAND LAW — Conveyancing — Contract for sale — Where defendant vendor purported to rescind on basis of mental illness — Where right to rescind if party dies, becomes bankrupt or mentally ill — Whether definition of "mentally ill" under Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW) is incorporated in contract — Whether defendant became mentally ill after exchange of contracts — Whether defendant's mental illness impeded him from carrying out contractual obligations to enliven clause — Whether defendant contrived mental illness to enliven clause Legislation Cited: Guardianship Act 1987 (NSW) Land Tax Management Act 1956 (NSW) Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW) Protected Estates Act 1983 (NSW) Cases Cited: Brennan v O'Meara (2009) 14 BPR 27,441; [2009] NSWSC 1374 Coppa v Barnett [2012] NSWSC 490 Ecosse Property Holdings Pty Ltd v Gee Dee Nominees Pty Ltd (2017) 261 CLR 544; (2017) 343 ALR 58; [2017] HCA 12 Electricity Generation Corp v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; (2014) 306 ALR 25; [2014] HCA 7 Karfoal Pty Ltd v Lorence (2002) 11 BPR 20,129; [2002] NSWSC 284 Kelly v the Queen (2004) 218 CLR 216; (2004) 205 ALR 274; [2004] HCA 12 Phoenix Commercial Enterprises Pty Ltd v City of Canada Bay Council [2010] NSWCA 64 Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal Pty Ltd v New Hope Corporation Ltd [2019] NSWCA 316 Texts Cited: L J Lewison and D Hughes, The Interpretation of Contracts in Australia (Thomson Reuters, 2012) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Carolyn Teo (First Plaintiff) Raven Gibb-Kalvin Spirit (Second Plaintiff) David Twyford by his tutor Maurice Cunningham (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: E White (Plaintiffs) J Gatland (Defendant)