Slade v Brose [2024] NSWCA 197

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Slade v Brose [2024] NSWCA 197 Hearing dates: 23 and 24 April 2024 Date of orders: 8 August 2024 Decision date: 08 August 2024 Before: Ward P at [1]; White JA at [372]; Stern JA at [373] Decision: 1. Dismiss the appeal with costs. 2. Grant leave to cross-appeal. 3. Allow the cross-appeal with costs. 4. Set aside order 15 made on 5 September 2023. 5. In lieu thereof, order, subject to any costs orders previously made in the proceedings at first instance to 5 September 2023, that the defendants (the appellants/cross-respondents in this Court) pay 75% of the plaintiffs" (the respondents/cross-appellants') costs of the proceedings at first instance to 5 September 2023, including their costs of and incidental to the relief sought in prayer 8 of the Second Further Amended Statement of Claim (and associated relief sought in earlier versions of that pleading). Catchwords: ESTOPPEL – Proprietary estoppel – Where representations made by appellants to respondents (their daughter and son-in-law) as to ownership of various farming properties and interest in family farming business – Where following a "catastrophic falling out" of the relationship between them, appellants resiled from those representations – Whether representations were sufficient to ground a proprietary estoppel – Whether respondents reasonably relied on representations – Whether respondents suffered detriment – Whether representations were conditional such that the change in circumstances following the falling out between the parties meant that the appellants' departure from their representations was not unconscionable APPEALS – Leave to appeal – Whether leave required for cross-appeal solely as to costs COSTS – Party/Party – Where primary judge ordered that each party bear his or her own costs – Where respondents were substantially successful at first instance but did not receive entirety of relief sought – Re-exercise of discretion as to costs Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 98 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 42 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 28.2 Cases Cited: Anderson v Anderson (2017) 94 NSWLR 591; [2017] NSWCA 131 Ardrey v Bartlett [2004] WASCA 256 Austotel Pty Ltd v Franklins Selfserve Pty Ltd (1989) 16 NSWLR 582 Australian Financial Services and Leasing Pty Ltd v Hills Industries Ltd (2014) 253 CLR 560; [2014] HCA 14 Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 604; [1988] HCA 16 Be Financial Pty Limited as Trustee for Be Financial Operations Trust v DAS [2012] NSWCA 164 Bostik Australia Pty Ltd v Liddiard (No 2) [2009] NSWCA 304 Brose v Slade [2022] NSWSC 1785 Brose v Slade [2023] NSWSC 1025 Cobbe v Yeoman's Row Management Ltd [2008] UKHL 55 Coffs Harbour City Council v Polglase [2020] NSWCA 265 Commonwealth of Australia v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394; [1990] HCA 39 Construction Technologies Australia Pty Ltd v Doueihi [2014] NSWSC 1717 Coope v LCM Litigation Fund Pty Ltd (No 2) [2016] NSWCA 174 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] EWHC Ch J67; 45 ER 1285 Donis v Donis (2007) 19 VR 577; [2007] VSCA 89 Doppstadt Australia Pty Ltd v Lovick & Son Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 219 Doueihi v Construction Technologies Australia Pty Ltd (2016) 92 NSWLR 247; [2016] NSWCA 105 E Co v Q [2018] NSWSC 442 Elite Protective Personally Pty Ltd v Salmon (No 2) Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 373 Evans v Evans [2011] NSWCA 92 Farah Constructions Pty Ltd v Say-Dee Pty Ltd (2007) 230 CLR 89; [2007] HCA 22 Fexuto Pty Ltd v Bosnjak Holdings Pty Ltd (No 3) (1998) 30 ACSR 20 Flinn v Flinn [1999] VSCA 109 Galaxidis v Galaxidis [2004] NSWCA 111 Germanotta v Germanotta [2012] QSC 116 Gillett v Holt [2001] Ch 210 Giumelli v Giumelli (1999) 196 CLR 101; [1999] HCA 10 Golding v Vella (No 2) [2001] NSWSC 731 Guest v Guest [2022] 3 WLR 911 Harris v Smith [2008] NSWSC 545 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Hughes v Western Australian Cricket Association [1986] FCA 511 Karam Group P/L v Hca Queensland P/L (2022) 13 QR 84 Margeorg v Cavanagh [2009] QSC 211 Maunsell v Hedges (1854) 4 HLC 1039; 10 ER 769 Merker v Merker [2022] QCA 277 Priestley v Priestley [2017] NSWCA 155 Proprietors Cathedral Village BUP 106957 v Cathedral Place Community BC [2021] QCA 186 Q v E Co [2020] NSWCA 220 Ramsden v Dyson (1866) LR 1 HL 129 Short v Crawley (No 40) [2008] NSWSC 1032 Sidhu v Van Dyke (2014) 251 CLR 505; [2014] HCA 19 Soulos v Pagones [2023] NSWCA 243 Sullivan v Sullivan [2006] NSWCA 312 Ta Lee Investment Pty Ltd v Antonios [2019] NSWCA 24 The Age Company Ltd v Liu (2013) 82 NSWLR 268; [2013] NSWCA 26 Thorner v Major [2009] 1 WLR 776 Trouton v Trouton [2022] QSC 210 Uglow v Uglow [2004] EWCA Civ Van Dyke v Sidhu [2013] NSWCA 198 Waddell v Waddell [2012] NSWCA 214 Walton v Walton (1994, England and Wales Court of Appeal, Civ Div, unreported) Waltons Stores v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387; [1988] HCA 7 White v Tomasel [2003] 2 Qd R 438 Wodzicki v Wodzicki [2017] EWCA Civ 95 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bruce Roland Slade (First Appellant) Donna Maree Slade (Second Appellant) Kellie Lisa Brose (First Respondent) Garreth Owen Brose (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: B Katekar SC and S Hoare (Appellants) J Mack and B Smith (Respondents)