Younan v Herberton Enterprises Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 1566

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Younan v Herberton Enterprises Pty Ltd [2023] NSWSC 1566 Hearing dates: 13 – 14 November 2023 Date of orders: 14 December 2023 Decision date: 14 December 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Real Property List Before: Peden J Decision: See [165] Catchwords: CONTRACTS — Formation — Agreement — Whether parties entered a collateral contract — Where borrower alleged collateral contract entered to forgive loan obligations in return for termination of separate joint venture agreements — Whether sufficient evidence to establish contract formation — Where parties had previously evidenced agreements in writing — Where alleged contract partly oral and partly in writing PARTNERSHIPS AND JOINT VENTURES — Joint venture agreements — Rights and duties between joint venturers — Fiduciary relationship — Whether fiduciary relationship arose pursuant to joint venture agreements — Scope of fiduciary obligation — Where joint venture properties sold after termination of joint venture agreements — Whether joint venturer placed himself in a position of conflict — Whether consent from other joint venturers obtained — Whether breach of fiduciary obligation alleged Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 100 Cases Cited: Aberdeen Railway Co. v Blaikie Brothers (1854) 1 Macq 461 Adventure Golf Systems Australia Pty Ltd v Belgravia Health & Leisure Group Pty Ltd (2017) VR 625 Ancient Order of Foresters in Victoria Friendly Society Ltd v Lifeplan Australia Friendly Society Ltd (2018) 265 CLR 1 Attorney General v Blake [1998] Ch 439 Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Performing Right Association Ltd (1973) 129 CLR 99 Beach Petroleum NL v Abbott Tout Russell Kennedy (1999) 48 NSWLR 1 Blackmagic Design Pty Ltd v Overliese (2011) 191 FCR 1; [2011] FCAFC 24 Blyth v Northwood (2005) 63 NSWLR 531 Boardman v Phipps [1967] 2 AC 46 Brambles Holdings Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153; [2001] NSWCA 61 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Broadway Plaza Investments Pty Ltd v Broadway Plaza Pty Ltd; In the matter of Combined Projects (Arncliffe) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 1374 Canadian Aero Services Ltd v O'Malley [1974] SCR 592 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 CLR 337 Consul Development Pty Ltd v DPC Estates Pty Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 373 Coope v LCM Litigation Fund Pty Ltd (2016) 333 ALR 524; [2016] NSWCA 37 Garnac Grain Co Inc v HMF Faure & Fairclough Ltd [1968] AC 1130 Grimaldi v Chameleon Mining NL (No 2) (2012) 200 FCR 296; [2012] FCAFC 6 Gunasegaram v Blue Visions Management Pty Ltd; Same v Chidiac (2018) 129 ACSR 265 Helton v Allen (1940) 63 CLR 691 Hospital Products Limited v United States Surgical Corporation (1984) 156 CLR 41 Howard Smith & Co Ltd v Varawa (1907) 5 CLR 68 Howard v Commissioner of Taxation (2014) 253 CLR 83; [2014] HCA 21 In the matter of Waterfront Investments Group Pty Limited (in liquidation) [2015] NSWSC 18 John Alexander's Clubs Pty Ltd v White City Tennis Club Limited (2010) 241 CLR 1 Johnston v Brightstars Holding Company Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 150 Kyabram Property Investments Pty Ltd v Murray [2005] NSWCA 87 Lawrence v Ciantar [2020] NSWCA 89 Libertarian Investments Ltd v Hall FACV Nos 14 and 16 of 2012, Court of Final Appeal, Hong Kong, 6 November 2013 Manildra Laboratories Pty Ltd v Campbell [2009] NSWSC 987 Masters v Cameron (1954) 91 CLR 353 Pavlovic v Universal Music Australia Pty Ltd (2015) 90 NSWLR 605; [2015] NSWCA 313 Pittmore Pty Ltd v Chan; Chan v Tan (2020) 104 NSWLR 62; [2020] NSWCA 344 Queensland Mines Ltd v Hudson (1978) 18 ALR 1 Rejfek v McElroy (1965) 112 CLR 517 Spotlight Pty Ltd v Fatseas Investments Pty Ltd [2020] NSWCA 132 Streeter v Western Areas Exploration Pty Ltd (No 2) (2011) 278 ALR 291 United Dominions Corp Ltd v Brian Pty Ltd (1985) 157 CLR 1 Vanguard Financial Planners Pty Ltd v Ale (2018) 354 ALR 711 Warman International Ltd v Dwyer (1995) 182 CLR 544 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Texts Cited: GE Dal Pont, Law of Costs (LexisNexis Butterworths, 5th ed, 2021) JD Heydon, Heydon on Contract (Thomson Reuters, 2022) JD Heydon, MJ Leeming, PG Turner, Meagher, Gummow & Lehane's Equity Doctrines & Remedies (5th ed, 2015, LexisNexis) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Charbel Younan (Plaintiff/Second Cross-Defendant) Herberton Enterprises Pty Ltd (First Defendant/First Cross-Claimant) Giselle Bechara (Second Defendant/Second Cross-Claimant) Licha Bechara (Third Cross-Claimant) Lexform Holdings Pty Ltd (First Cross-Defendant) Representation: Counsel: A Hopkins (Plaintiff/Cross-Defendants) S Shepherd (Defendants/Cross-Claimants)