Meehan & Ors v Glazier Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 22

Reported Decision : (2002) 54 NSWLR 146

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Meehan & Ors v Glazier Holdings Pty Ltd [2002] NSWCA 22 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40172/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 12 February 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 7 March 2002

PARTIES : Graham Meehan, Anthony Murphy and Treykell Pty Ltd - Appellants Glazier Holdings Pty Ltd - Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA at 1; Beazley JA at 2; Giles JA at 3

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Equity Division LOWER COURT ED 4905/97 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Austin J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : M L D Einfeld QC & S G Habib - Appellants A L J Bannon SC & P L Dodson - Respondent SOLICITORS : Paul Bard - Appellants Henry Davis York - Respondent CATCHWORDS : EQUITY - order for accounts in common form - application to vary order to have accounts taken on wilful default basis - whether order a final order which can not be varied - whether grounds established for accounts on wilful default basis. D. Bailey v Marinoff (1971) 125 CLR 529; Ballas Theophilos (No 2) (1957) 97 CLR 186; Barber v Mackrell (1879) 12 Ch D 534; Barnes v Addy (1874) 9 Ch App 244; Bartlett v Barclays Bank Trust Co Ltd (No 2) (1980) 1 Ch 515; Derrawee Pastoral Company Pty Ltd v McConachie (Handley JA, 24 February 1995, unreported); Gava v Grljusich (WAFC, 18 September 1997, unreported; on remittal (1999) WASC 13); In re Barclay; Barclay v Andrew (1899) 1 Ch 674; In re Jerome (1907) 2 Ch 145; In re Symons (1882) 21 Ch D 757; In re Wood; Ebert v Union Trustee Company of Australia Ltd (1961) Qd R 375; CASES CITED: In re Wrightson: Wrightson v Cooke (1908) 1 Ch 789; In re Youngs; Doggett v Revett (1885) 30 Ch D 421; Job v Job (1877) 6 Ch D 562; Kara Kar Holdings Pty Ltd v Brookton Holdings No 5 Pty Ltd (CA, 27 March 1997, unreported); Kraft v Kupperwasser (1991) 22 NSWLR 236; Mayer v Murray (1878) 8 Ch D 424; Partington v Reynolds (1858) 4 Drew 253; 62 ER 98; re Tebbs (1976) 2 All ER 858; Russell v Russell (1891) 17 VLR 729; Sleight v Lawson (1857) 3 K & J 292; Smith v Davies (1885) 31 Ch D 595; Southern Cross Exploration NL v Fire and All Risks Insurance Company (No 2) (1990) 21 NSWLR 200. DECISION : (1) Appeal allowed; (2) Paragraphs 1, 2, 7, 8, 15 and 16 of the orders of Austin J made on 19 March 2001 set aside and para 3 of the orders varied by the deletion of the words "as varied by order 2 above"; (4) Remit the proceedings to the Equity Division for such further directions, if any, as may be appropriate for the taking of accounts; (4) The respondent pay the appellants' costs of the notices of motion filed on 1 May 2000 and 30 August 2000 and of the appeal, and have a certificate under the Suitors Fund Act if qualified.