Permanent Trustee Company Limited v Michael Elkofairi (aka) Mashour Elkofairi & 1 OR [2001] NSWSC 1113

Reported Decision : (2002) Aust Contract Reports 90-148 (2002) NSW ConvR 56-013

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Permanent Trustee Company Limited v Michael Elkofairi (aka) Mashour Elkofairi & 1 OR [2001] NSWSC 1113 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Common Law FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 12144/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 1, 13, 15-16, 19 November 2001 JUDGMENT DATE : 6 December 2001

PARTIES : Permanent Trustee Company Limited (Plaintiff) Alia Elkofairi (2nd Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Newman AJ at 1

COUNSEL : V. Stefano (Plaintiff) P. Bolster (2nd Defendant) SOLICITORS : Hunt & Hunt (Plaintiff) Cumberland Frank (2nd Defendant) CATCHWORDS : Unconscionable bargain - Onus of proof - Husband and Wife - Confidential relation - Equitable relief - Whether wife a volunteer - Amadio principles - uneducated and illiterate wife accustomed to obey husband's directions in business matters - Contracts Review Act not applicable. LEGISLATION CITED : Contracts Review Act 1980 Yerkey & Anor v Jones (1939) 63 CLR 649 National Australia Bank Ltd v Garcia (1998) 194 CLR 395 Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd V Amadio & Anor (1983) 151 CLR 447 Cranfield v Commonwealth Bank of Australia [1998] VSC 140 Blomley v Ryan (1956) 99 CLR 362 CASES CITED : West v AGC Advances Ltd (1986) 5 NSWLR 610 Westpac v Gordon & Reilly (unrep, SCNSW, Sully J, 1/4/93) Conley v Cojmmonwealt Bank of Australia [2000] NSWCA 101 Commonwealth Bankof Australia v Cohen (unrep, SCNSW, Cole J 22/7/88) Elders Rural finance v Smith (1996) 41 NSWLR 296 Mahlo v Westpac Banking Corporation (unrep, NSW SC, Santow J, 6/2/98) DECISION : para 36