Garratt's Ltd v Thanga Thangathurai [2002] NSWSC 39

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Garratt's Ltd v Thanga Thangathurai [2002] NSWSC 39 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division Commercial List FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 50083/2001 HEARING DATE(S) : 30 January 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 12 February 2002

PARTIES : Garratt's Limited (Plaintiff) Thanga Thangathurai (Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Bergin J

COUNSEL : W. G. Muddle (Plaintiff) D Williams (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Cowley Hearne (Plaintiff) Dibbs Barker Gosling (Defendant) CATCHWORDS : [Evidence] - Whether pleading of defence and cross claim amounts to consent to the production of documents bearing upon or relevant to the defendant's state of mind at the time of entry into the contract, the subject of the proceedings. LEGISLATION CITED : Evidence Act 1995 s.122 Trade Practices Act 1974 s.52 Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd v Spalvins (1998) 81 FCR 360; 152 ALR 418. Ampolex Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co (Canberra) Ltd & Ors (1996) 137 ALR 28 Benecke v National Australia Bank (1993) 35 NSWLR 110. Crescendo Management Ltd v Westpac Banking Corporation (1988) 19 NSWLR 40 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Kamisha Corp Ltd (1999) ATPR 41-697 ESSO Australia Resources Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1998) 83 FCR 511; 195 ALR 664. Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 John Tanner Holdings Pty Ltd v Mortgage Management Ltd (2001) 182 ALR 201 CASES CITED : Australian Rugby Union Ltd v Hospitality Group Pty Ltd (1999) 165 ALR 253 Novus Australia Energy Company v Gulf Petroleum (Australia) Pty Ltd & Gulf Canada Resources Ltd [2001] NSWSC 579 Perpetual Trustees (WA) Ltd v Equuscorp Pty Ltd [1999] FCA 925 Randell v Rockliffe, Unreported, SC TAS, 9 December 1999. Standard Chartered Bank v Antico (1993) 36 NSWLR 87 Telstra Corporation Ltd v BT Australasia Pty Ltd (1998) 85 FCR 152 The Bell Group Ltd (In liquidation) & Ors v Westpac Banking Corporation (1998) 86 FCR 215 Wayne Lawrence Pty Ltd v Hunt (t/as Hunt Musgrave and Peach) NSWSC, unreported, 19 October 1999. [R T McKeand, Economic Duress - Wearing the Clothes of Unconscionable Conduct, Journal of Contract Law, Vol. 17 No. 1 at 1] DECISION : Order made for the production of certain documents.