Douglas v Mikhael [2024] NSWCA 89

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Douglas v Mikhael [2024] NSWCA 89 Hearing dates: 2 April 2024 Date of orders: 2 April 2024 Decision date: 24 April 2024 Before: Ward P; Mitchelmore JA; Basten AJA Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACTS – Formation – Oral contract – Whether evidence of conversation alleged to have occurred in 1999 in which alleged agreement was reached was plausible – Whether primary judge erred in considering surrounding circumstances to determine the existence of the contract EVIDENCE – Witness evidence – Affidavits – Where affidavit evidence of two witnesses included identical paragraphs – Whether primary judge erred in rejecting evidence of appellant's witness APPEALS – Procedural fairness – Apprehended bias – Whether primary judge's interjections during witness examination amounted to a denial of procedural fairness to the appellant or gave rise to a reasonable apprehension of bias Legislation Cited: Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), ss 75A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 7.3, 51.29, 51.36 Cases Cited: Akins v National Australia Bank (1994) 34 NSWLR 155 Aon Risk Services Australia Ltd v Australia National University (2009) 239 CLR 175; [2009] HCA 27 Ball v McInerney [2014] NSWCA 331 Brambles Holdings Pty Ltd v Bathurst City Council (2001) 53 NSWLR 153; [2001] NSWCA 61 Celermajer Holdings [2011] NSWSC 40 Douglas v Mikhael (No 2) [2024] NSWCA 61 Douglas v Mikhael [2024] NSWCA 60 Duraisamy v Sydney Trains [2019] NSWCA 269 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 Elite Realty Development Pty Ltd v Sadek [2023] NSWCA 165 Forster v Harvey [2006] NSWSC 1112 Galea v Galea (1990) 19 NSWLR 263 John Holland Pty Ltd v Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 451 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Jones v National Coal Board [1957] 2 QB 55 Macquarie Developments Ltd v Forrester [2005] NSWSC 674 Nicholls v Wilson & Partners Limited [2010] NSWCA 140 Nobarani v Mariconte [2018] HCA 36 Rajski v Scitec Corporation Pty Ltd (Court of Appeal (NSW), 16 June 1986, unrep) Rosebanner Pty Ltd v Energy Australia [2009] NSWSC 43 Royal Guardian Mortgage Management Pty Ltd v Nguyen [2016] NSWCA 88 Sweeney v He [2023] NSWCA 68 University of Wollongong v Metwally (No 2) [1985] HCA 28 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon (2003) 234 CLR 492; [2003] HCA 48 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Joseph Douglas (Appellant) Fadi Mikhael (First Respondent) Mary Karborani (Second Respondent) FBM Enterprises Pty Ltd (Third Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Douglas (Appellant) (In person) AJ Munro (Respondents)