Kwan v Kang & 2 Ors [2003] NSWCA 336

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Kwan v Kang & 2 Ors [2003] NSWCA 336 HEARING DATE(S) : 10/11/03, 11/11/03, 13/11/03 JUDGMENT DATE : 9 December 2003

JUDGMENT OF : Sheller JA; Ipp JA; Tobias JA DECISION : (1) Appeal upheld. Orders of Santow J set aside and new trial ordered. (2) The first respondent to pay half the costs of the appeal. (3) Certificates are granted to the appellant and the first respondent under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951, if they are otherwise entitled. (4) Upon the first respondent giving to the Court the usual undertaking as to damages, it is ordered that, up to and including the time of the final determination by this Court of these proceedings as against the appellant, the appellant either himself or by his servants or agents shall not assign, dispose of, charge or encumber his interest in the property at and known as 21 Cammeray Road, Castle Cove, being the land comprised in Folio Identifier 507/200619 (the "Property") so as in no way to reduce the monetary value of his interest in the Property below $300,000.

CATCHWORDS : PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - Alteration of reasons for judgment - APPREHENDED BIAS - Apprehended bias by reason of pre-judgment - Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 test - Findings at an interlocutory stage expressed in terms of finality - Undesirability of judges supporting interlocutory evidentiary rulings by commenting on evidence. D Conveyancing Act 1919, s 37A LEGISLATION CITED : District Court Act 1983 Evidence Act 1995, ss 118, 119, 120, 125 Adames v Hallett (1868) LR 6 Eq 468 Bar-Mordecai v Rotman [2000] NSWCA 123 Brady v Stapleton (1952) 88 CLR 322 Bromley v Bromley [1965] P 111 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337 Harris v Beauchamp Brothers [1894] 1 QB 801 In Re Harrison; Ex parte Butters (1880) 14 Ch D 265 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 Laws v Australian Broadcasting Tribunal (1990) 170 CLR 70 Logwon Pty Ltd v Warringah Shire Council (1993) 33 NSWLR 13 Metropolitan Properties Company (FGC) Limited v Lannon [1969] 1 QB 577 CASES CITED : Noakes v J Harvy Holmes & Son (1979) 37 FLR 5 Reese River Silver Mining Co v Atwell (1869) LR 7 Eq 347 Re JRL; Ex Parte CJL (1986) 161 CLR 342 Re Lusink; Ex parte Shaw (1981) 55 ALJR 12 Re Polites; Ex parte Hoyts Corporation Pty Limited (No 2) (1991) 173 CLR 78 R v Australian Stevedoring Industry Board; Ex Parte Melbourne Stevedoring Company Pty Limited (1953) 88 CLR 100 R v Gough [1993] AC 646 R v Masters (1992) 26 NSWLR 450 R v Watson; Ex parte Armstrong (1976) 136 CLR 248 Southern Equities Corporation Limited (In Liq) v Bond (2000) 78 SASR 339 Texas Co (Australasia) Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1940) 63 CLR 382 Vakauta v Kelly (1988) 13 NSWLR 502 Webb v The Queen (1994) 181 CLR 41 Christopher Anthony Kwan (Appellant) PARTIES : Wei Ling Kang (First Respondent) Kate Woowin (Second Respondent) Eileen Woowin (Third Respondent) FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41215/02 M L D Einfeld QC/F Donohoe (Appellant) COUNSEL : G C Lindsay SC/M A Robinson (First Respondent) No appearance (Second Respondent) No appearance (Third Respondent) Verekers (Appellant) SOLICITORS : Legal Aid Commission (First Respondent) No Appearance (Second Respondent) No Appearance (Third Respondent)