DYMOCKS HOLDINGS PTY. L.TD & ORS. V. TOP RYDE BOOKSELLERS PTY. LTD. & ORS [2000] NSWSC 390

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : DYMOCKS HOLDINGS PTY. L.TD & ORS. V. TOP RYDE BOOKSELLERS PTY. LTD. & ORS [2000] NSWSC 390 revised - 18/05/2000 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 4913/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 17/04/00 to 19/04/00 JUDGMENT DATE : 15 May 2000

Dymock's Holdings Pty. Ltd. - 1st plaintiff Dymock's Pty. Ltd. - 2nd plaintiff Dymocks Franchise Systems (NSW) Pty. Ltd. - 3rd plaintiff Top Ryde Booksellers Pty. Ltd. - 1st defendant PARTIES : Brandway Pty. Ltd. - 2nd defendant Hughes Products Pty. Ltd. - 3rd defendant Tony Ayaz - 4th defendant Rojoma Pty. Ltd. - 5th defendant Red Rocks Pty. Ltd. - 6th defendant Librus Pty. Ltd. - 7th defendant JUDGMENT OF : Hodgson CJinEq at 1

COUNSEL : P. Graham QC with D.L. Williams for plaintiffs G. Burton for 3rd, 6th & 7th defendants SOLICITORS : Deacons Graham & James, Sydney for plaintiffs Miller Goddard, Sydney for 3rd, 6th & 7th defendants CATCHWORDS : CONTRACT - Franchise agreement - Moneys paid by franchisees in response to memoranda from franchisor - Whether enforceable contract - Certainty of terms - Remedy sought by some but not all franchisees - Whether contract frustrated - Specific performance not available - Enquiry as to damages ordered - TRUST - Moneys paid by franchisees to finance setting up of internet website - Whether resulting trust of proportionate share of website - Whether excluded by intention shown in comtemporary documents. LEGISLATION CITED : Nil Muschinski v. Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583 CASES CITED : Baumgartner v. Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137 Grant v. John Grant & Sons Pty. Ltd. (1954) 91 CLR 112 Martin Baker Aircraft Ltd. v. Canadian Flight Equipment Ltd. (1955) 2 QB 556 at 582 DECISION : See pars.72, 73 &74 of judgment